《Surviving as the Second Main Lead: Second Lead's POV》
Chapter 1 Introduction
?If you have to guess what existence is the worst in a book, many would answer it is the viin who has to do all kinds of unimaginable bad things to survive.
However, some would say it is the Hero or the Heroine who suffers the consequences of the plot. Then what about the mobs who are the punching bags of the story? Indeed they are just as pitiful.
But even among these existences, there exists one person who no one thinks of as pitiful at first nce - the second lead. The existence of such a person is made for the Hero of the story and his life often revolves around the main character.
Yes, they are often given ridiculous powers and are often the key point of the novel, but in the end, their existence does not amount to anything much but a rival.
Maybe that was why, when I reincarnated into this world, I made a vow. Whatever happens, I will remain away from the main plot of the story. The only thing I needed to do was to survive until this story came to an end.
But would it be possible with the kind of fate I have been dealt with? After all, the protagonist is none other than my half-brother. Looking at the small and shivering body in my arm, my first thought was - this is all real.
I, an average man of the 21st century had been transmigrated into the plot of a novel I yed before. My new name is - Horas Spencer, elder brother to the hero of this novel Howard Spencer.
And my biggest dilemma is that I am currently 5 years old with a newborn in my arms. And of course, just like any good protagonist, as soon as my younger brother was born, our parents died.
Yay for my new life.
//////////////////////////////////////////////
This page is an introductory page and will act as an index. I will add any relevant information here and on the next Auxiliary page. Remember to give PS and GT to show you are here.
asionally missing content, please report errors in time.
Chapter 2 Auxiliary : Can Be Skipped.
?¡ª-You can skip this chapter if you want to¡ª---
And before you all ask - yes, there will be romance in this book.
I will be leaving this chapter here to add character sketchester on and to make a timeline of things. You can gift me or Ko-fi me to release faster chapters and I will forever be grateful.
I will likely not be seeing all your messages andments so don¡¯t be discouraged if you don¡¯t get a reply. I will get to this when I am able to see it. Also, all your feedback would be appreciated.
One more thing, the MC is a rather grey character so don¡¯t expect him to make the morally right decision every time. He¡¯s a little selfish so he¡¯ll do what he wants.
Summary:
In a novel, who''s the most pitiful exitance? One would say the Hero, others would say the Viin. Many would also say it''s the mobs. But rarely would ever say it''s the Second lead. However, Horas Spencer would beg to differ.
An ordinary man before, he gets reborn into the 5-year-old body of the second main lead of a novel he wrote a long time ago. The only catch? He''s not only the protagonist''s brother but also the Second main lead. Now the only one who knows the truth of this new world he had been reborn in, Horas Spencer has one goal in mind - to make sure he interacts as little with the main story as possible.
But to escape the fate of being the Second Main Lead is not easy and the challenges that Horas would have to face are many. Not to mention, find a way back to his real world where he had a decent life and family waiting for him. For that to happen, he would y various roles, even that of a Viin. Just as long as he could go home in one piece.
However, the mystery of this new world might be tougher to crack than Horas first expected it to be. And the shadow of being the ''Second best'' is not easy to ovee.
//////////////////////
Cover not mine. Buy Ko-Fi for extra chapters. ko-fi/daygonyuuki49821
Or gift me to release faster.
asionally missing content, please report errors in time.
Chapter 3 Ch 1: Is This Reality
?There is an itch in the back of my mind these days. My conscience is pricking me and I don¡¯t know why.
That is a lie. I do know why I feel l am ignoring something. And it is weighing heavily on my heart for the same reason. It is the unfinished work I published a while ago which is pricking my consciousness.
I would have forgotten all about it if not for the once-in-a-whilement I got on it to continue it. But the truth of the matter is, it has been a long time since I wrote that cursed book.
I had been too into it when I started, but as I continued to write it, that initial bout of enthusiasm faded away. And so did my passion for theck of interaction. In the end, it became another piece of unfinished work in the pile of the inte.
And as I got busy with work, my world shifted toward that other field. I needed to earn to survive and I never touched my unfinished work again.
Days just passed by until that cursed day. I wonder if things would have been different had I never picked up that call. Would I have lived my life as it was? Or was something even worse waiting for me at the end of the tunnel?
This was an answer I might never get. Because from that day onwards, the unremarkable youth I was cerise to exist and I became Horas Spencer, the Second main lead of the novel I wrote.
////////////////////////////////
¡°We cannot take both of them in. I mean, one should be enough right?¡±
¡°I know. How unfortunate. Who knew that the incident would take the life of both the Top #1 and Top #2 heroes? What will happen to the kids now?¡±
¡°I heard that the elder one does not have his powers yet but the younger one was born with massive reserves since the start. Should we try to take him in?¡±
Horas Spencer watched the adults bicker from the corner he was tucked in with his newly born brother. His emotionless eyes watched the world and tried to make sense of what he was seeing.
There was only one thought that went through his mind at that time.
¡®This can¡¯t be real. Is this some kind of dream? I want to wake up now.¡¯
The gloomy hall Horas was currently standing in was a funeral hall. It housed more than 200 people but no one was grieving. The site looked more like a political warfare ground than an actual funeral.
Tension was at an all-time high with the adults talking about important stuff. No one expected the kids to understand what was being said.
¡°Anyway, no one here has time to take care of two kids, right? So, should we separate them at birth?¡±
¡°Sure, but I will take the younger. The elder has no talent, right?¡±
¡°No way. I will take the younger one. I mean, I already got the experience with kids, you know.¡±
Horas clutched his younger brother¡¯s body tighter in his hand as he watched the adults bicker above his head. He could tell that he was not wanted by the adults and that his younger brother was the real prize.
How could he not be with the massive amounts of energy in his body? And it was all because his younger brother was the protagonist of this world.
As for Horas? He was the second main lead, the one who was about to be abandoned by everyone right now and who would forever be jealous of his younger, more fortunate brother. It would spark the light for a grand rivalry between the pairter on.
Horas would have been happy to stay where he was and let everyone else move around him. He was not particrly keen on
¡°Horas Spencer, right? I¡¯m Jake Hollow, your secretary and I¡¯ll also tell you about your future.¡±
Horas recognized the man in front of him. He had never seen this man before, but he had written this book. And Jake Hollow was a name that often appeared in the novel when it first started.
Even if this man had not introduced himself, Horas had a feeling he would have recognized the man because of his blue-green dual-shaded hair. But the only thing Horas was sure of was that it was not good news for him.
¡°Are we going to get sold off to someone?¡±
Jake Hollow¡¯s eyes widened as he watched the kid in front of him suggest such a thing. But since this was a dream, Horas was sure that he would not get in any trouble.
But a dream or not, his arms were beginning to hurt after carrying his younger brother for that long. A five-year-old did not have infinite strength in his arms after all.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will be alright as long as you follow what I ask of you. But you cannot stay together with your brother anymore. Now don¡¯t cry because this is not the end. You will be able to see him again soon and often.¡±
Horas had been crying? He felt numb inside his heart so he was not able to feel any emotion. But his body must be sad to be separated from his young brother.
That was the only reason he could think of his tears.
Anyway, since the contents of Horas¡¯s dream resembled the novel he wrote and abandoned, he knew a thing or two about this world. And from what he knew, Horas could tell that Jake Hollow was a trustworthy man.
At least when it came to the safety of his younger brother, Jake Hollow would do what was needed and save him.
As for Horas? Did it matter what happened to him for now? He was going to wake up from this dream soon enough anyway. As long as he endured a little more, he would be free.
¡°Alright, I will follow your lead. You are the only adult here who doesn¡¯t feel disgusting.¡±
Since Horas had written this world, he knew how greedy the adults here were. They all might act like good people on the outside but they were all selfish to the core.
And they had to be to survive in this new world. After all, greed and power were the only way to survive in this new world filled with powers and dungeons which had started appearing out of nowhere one day.
This world had changed from a modern world into a fantasy world. And it was depressing how the only one worth trusting was this adult who was being caught off guard by a five-year-old.
¡°Ah, I see. In that case, you can trust me. Hand your brother to me so that I can carry him. A five-year-old should not be carrying such a heavy burden.¡±
Horas was not sure if he feltfortable giving the protagonist over the Jake Hollow but he was tired and so were his arms.
He wanted to rest but Howard¡¯s weight was too much for him to carry alone.
In the end, Horas handed his brother over and the child cried as soon as he did. The piercing cry was enough to cause Horas¡¯s eardrums to vibrate in pain.
And for the first time, it felt like he was not in a dream and this was reality. His hands felt real and his emotions felt real.
Horas woke up but the reality he faced was different than he expected it to be. He had transmigrated into his abandoned novel.
Chapter 4 Ch 2: Abandonment
?¡°Horas, I know this is nerve-wracking but you need to wait for me in this corner for some more time. I will go and inform the adults that you and your brother areing with me for now.¡±
Maybe a child would have been happy to hear those words but Horas was the writer of this weird world. He knew Jake Hollow''s personality better than anyone else.
He also knew that there was no point in his rebuttal. Jake Hollow had be the guardian of the male lead through his shrewdness and wits. And it seemed like this dream would follow the same route this time as well.
So even though Horas wanted to run away from this gathering, he had no choice but to keep on standing where he was and wait for the tall man toe back with his brother.
His corner of the room was well-hidden in shadows which allowed Horas to observe the hall better. There were a lot of powerful people gathered in this small hall which made it difficult to single out anyone.
¡®I guess it would not be possible to spot any future viins in this gathering.¡¯
Horas gave up after looking at the party and trying to figure out who was a good person. He might have written this story but that did not mean he remembered all the details.
¡°Hey kid, I am done here. Let¡¯s get you out of here and into a morefortable environment.¡±
Jake Hollow had an easy and attractive smile on his face. But for some reason, it did not inspire confidence in Horas. He was sure that he had written something about Jake Hollow and his smile.
But it had been some time since he wrote this novel so maybe he was forgetting things.
¡®I am sure everything will be alright. This is a dream and people cannot die in a dream, right?¡¯
So Horas made the decision of trusting the only adult he recognized there. And that was how Horas Spencer left the hall of his parent¡¯s death.
¡°This here is my baby, the pride of my life - my Julia. Isn¡¯t she a beauty?¡±
Jake pointed toward his highly tech-advanced car and Horas remembered a single line he had written a long time ago about Jake Hollow.
¡®Jake Hollow was a man obsessed with his car. It was to the point where he would do anything to keep his car safe, even selling out state secrets.¡¯
Since Horas remembered those words, his hands went sweaty and he was afraid to even touch the car. His hesitation was clear in his step which caused Jake to push him ahead and into the car.
¡°I know the world is not a safe ce but I will do my best to prepare you. You are a smart kid Horas so I am sure you will do well.¡±
Horas had never felt so bad by being called a ¡®good kid¡¯. He believed that Jake Hollow was a good man but he was scaring Horas right now. Especially that glint in his eyes, which was just not normal.
But what could a five-year-old say in this situation? Horas had no choice but to go along where he was being taken right now.
///////////////////////////
¡°Wee to your new home. I hope you like it.¡±
The sign on the board in front of Horas said ¡®Esper''s school for gifted.¡¯
It was a ce Horas was a good acquaintance with since he had tried hard to flesh out this ce and its importance.
You see, this new world had something called ¡®dungeons¡¯ and ¡®scenarios¡¯ that one needed to ovee to make the earth a safe ce. As more and more dungeons emerged, more and more humans started getting supernatural powers.
And to make such individuals more polished and better fighters, the Esper¡¯s school for gifted had been set up. It was the best school out there for gifted people. And it was also the ce where the first half of his novel had taken ce.
¡®But why bring a five-year-old here? As I guess, this dream makes no sense.¡¯
This was the only exnation Horas had about his current situation. This school epted people from the age of thirteen onwards. And you needed to be exceptionally talented to enter this academy.
The second main lead had been able to enter it of course, but he had not been the best. It had, of course, been the protagonist.
¡°Horas, you should know that I really want to take care of both you and your brother but I can only take care of one. So you will have to be a good boy and be good for the people I am about to introduce you to.¡±
¡®Ah, so I¡¯m being abandoned? Isn¡¯t this the plot I wrote for the second male read?¡¯
At that time, Horas had felt like a genius when he had crafted this backstory for the second main lead. Often enough, it was the protagonist that was abandoned and then came for revenge.
But he had pulled something of a reversal in his book and made the elder brother the one being left behind.
It had been an attempt to fuel the elder brother¡¯s resentment toward the main protagonist and to fuel the rivalry. But Horas had never gotten to flesh out this part in his story since he had abandoned it long before.
¡®Did I imagine this scene being like this? I guess I read too many novels and now my brain is processing things in its way.¡¯
It was tiresome but Horas saw no point in arguing with an adult who thought they knew better.
¡°Be cheerful, Horas Spencer. You are going to get an opportunity no other child had ever gotten - to spend your childhood in the best institution in the world. You want to make your younger brother proud, right?¡±
It was a good way to emotionally manipte a kid. Horas hated that he had made Jake Hollow sopatible in everything he did. It was beyond annoying and a little creepy as well.
¡®Anyway, it won¡¯t matter for much longer. I am about to wake up any minute now and this nightmare would end.¡¯
The more this dream dragged on, the more Horas was sure he was about to wake up.
His feet moved along the ground but Horas¡¯s mind was in another ce. Even when he stood in front of the most recognizable of the staff, Principal Marbel, one of the top guild masters in the world, he was not able to do anything but stare.
¡°JAKE HOLLOW, HAVE YOU GONE DRAFT? THAT KID IS FIVE YEARS OLD! YOU WANT HIM TO-¡±
¡°Look, I know what this looks like but I assure you that this kid is good. Anyway, you own me one so you have to take him in now.¡±
Horas knew that there was a fight going on in front of him but he did not interfere. In the end, Principal Marbel folded and took Horas in.
It was not a happy surrender and the agitation Principal Marbel felt was out in the air for the young child to feel. Why was he feeling such awkwardness when he was in a dream? And he was also beginning to feel hungry now.
¡°Looks like you have been abandoned kid. I don¡¯t like that you have been left to me but I will do my best to take care of you. First thing first, you will need a device to keep track of you. I suppose you are not ¡®too young¡¯ to get registered with the system.¡±
Horas was dragged into the chamber where he was examined. But by the end of it, he had a sore wrist to show for it and a glowing light in front of his eyes.
The pain was real enough for Horas to realize that he was not dreaming and this was reality.
¡®Fuck, I transmigrated for real.¡¯
Chapter 5 Ch 3: Running The Tests
?Since Horas had been the one to write this novel, he had thought he had no way to be surprised by it anymore. But ultimately, that turned out not to be the case.
The world he had created had been shallow and he had no focus on world-building much as he had focused on character-building since that was the trend then. But despite that, Horas did have a mental image in his mind when he created this world.
He had thought of a mix of modern and current times when he had created the academy. He had thought ofrge machines embased on concrete walls and pre-fabricated structures.
And of course, he had not thought of any of the structural implications or how it was even possible at that time. He had been rather native and only learned of his world design ws once he had studied architecture for real.
So naturally, now that this world had be a reality, it had to bepletely different from his imagination in the past.
Everything he took in was new to him and it inspired him more and more. He was sure this world¡¯s architecture would have a lot of practical implications in the real world. Now, if only Horas could understand it¡
He was sure that he would be able to create a marvel once he returned to the real world.
¡¡¡¡..
Principal Marbel, who had been observing the kid behind her chuckled. The kid looked too serious as he observed the world around him. Since the kid was only five years old, she was sure that Horas Spencer was having the time of his life.
Even the adults who visited the Esper¡¯s academy for gifted felt shocked when they first stepped in there. The school was too different from the ¡®normal¡¯ world after all.
¡®I feel sorry for this kid who got abandoned here. I wish I could do something for him.¡¯
But the truth of the matter was, Principal Marbel¡¯s hands were bound as well. She was a ve to the current system and she could not make an exception for a child.
If he was to be a part of this academy, then he would have to be a student. There was aw that had been established to make sure no one abused the system. But no one had ever thought to make aw that states an age limit for a cadet.
¡°Hoars Spencer, get ready to take a new step in your life. From today onwards, you will be a student in our academy.¡±
The Principal took Horas through a corridor he had written about a thousand times but had yet to think about how it looked. She was trying not to think about what she was about to do so that she would not feel guilty about her future doings.
¡°Principal, what are you-¡±
The technical operator noticed the Principal heading inside as soon as she did. The Principal motioned for her to stand down and gestured toward the kid following behind her.
Principal Marble tried not to show how impressed she was with the kid and his conduct. Even adults found it hard to contain their excitement and asked questions. But this kid was too quiet.
And dare the Principal even say it - observant. His eyes were moving over eye thing but her teacher¡¯s institution told her that the kid was trying to understand everything he saw.
¡°Mark, this kid here needs a system controller. He will be a new student in our academy.¡±
Finally, Horas looked up from the machines he had been observing and his eyes showed wonder and wariness. He understood what was going on.
¡°A kid? Principal? I knew we liked to take in young to groom but isn¡¯t this a little too young? I¡¯m sure there is aw or something that stops us from doing this?¡±
Mark, the person Principal Marble had called up eximed. Despite his protest, he started up the machine and even pulled up apatibility program.
¡°This is a special case so keep your mouth shut about it. I will be taking Horas as a personal student of mine.¡±
Horas looked even more shocked than before at her exmation and he tried to subtle make his way out. Not that he got very far since the room was locked.
Mark whistled as he noticed this small chase and he called Horas over to him. The kid looked resigned to his fate as he hurried over to the machine. Principal Marbel could have sworn that the kid cursed under his breath as well.
¡®I guess I am getting too old. My ears have begun to ring now.¡¯
Principal Marbel watched as the kid was marked by the system and then scanned all over. It took a full day to get a kid this young registered but things were finally finished in the evening.
¡¡¡¡..
Horas cursed his writing for the fifth time that day. The process to get fully registered was too long but it was only done for special cases.
As far as he knew, the only one who had been made to do ridiculous tasks for data recording had been the main character. And it was because of his ¡®higher than normal¡¯ stats and acquiring first ce.
Then why was Horas being made to go through the same regimen as a five-year-old?
¡°You are doing well kid. Just five minutes more to go and you can stop running.¡±
Horas pushed his small legs as far as he could but his energy was spent. He copsed on the treadmill and it stopped instantly. His legs were protesting against standing up and Horas let them go.
He felt like he would die if he stood up now.
¡°Wow kid, you did great. Have you been trained before?¡±
Mark, the devil from hell, asked this question as he looked over the data he had collected. Horas would have given him the middle finger if he had the energy to do so.
¡°So, how did the kid do? Do we need to run more tests on him?¡±
Principal Marbel finally made her appearance on the scene with a rather nk expression. She was threatening Horas an academy cadet and for all the wrong reasons.
¡°Well, he¡¯s under average ording to our data but that¡¯s to be given since all our stats belong to people above the age of thirteen. So in total, I have no idea how the kid did.¡±
Mark, like the devil he was, decided that Horas had not had enough and gave the most confusing answer ever. Principal Marbel looked worried for Horas but he would rather have water than concern at this moment.
¡°So, we have no idea what ss to put him in? What about the basic missions? Can we get him started on them?¡±
Horas felt rmed buzzing inside his mind. He was five years old and these people were already talking about missions and dungeons? He was not going to survive if he went in one like he was.
¡°Ughhh-¡±
Horas tried to voice his opinion but even his throat felt tired and hurt. Just what kind of mess had he gotten himself into?
¡°Principal, I don¡¯t think we can put a five-year-old on a mission anyway. But on a happier note, I did finish the system for the kid so he can choose his weapon next. From his data, it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll build a lot of muscles so he should consider his weapon to be something light.¡±
Horas had tuned out listening to Mark at that point. He did not care much for weapons since he already knew what suited his body.
As the writer, Horas had given the second main lead a sword-type weapon which people called ¡®cool¡¯ at that time. It was also a directparison to the main character who also used a sword.
But Horas had no intention of using a sword. Not because he did not want topete with the main character, but because he did not want to fight in close quarters.
¡®I also want something easy to use. Maybe a gun or something would be good.¡¯
The Gun was not a tactical weapon in the dungeon which had a lot of obstacles. Mainly, bows and other long-range projectiles were used instead of guns due to thepatibility of magic with them.
Often, metals were unable to conduct mana as well as natural materials so anything made up of metal was ill-advised.
¡°I see. Then, I will take the kid to choose his weapon next. I am sure he will find one that matches him quite well. Horas, hurry up after me and-¡±
Horas tried to stand but his head decided to spin round and round. It was even difficult to keep track of where he was and the ground came near his face at an rming speed.
Before he knew it, his face was stered into the ground in front of him and Horas¡¯s vision was going in and out of focus.
¡°What happened? Is the kid alright? Mark, I thought this procedure was safe for everyone and that was why we used it. Is there some kind of fault with the machine? Do we need to change the mechanism?¡±
Principal Marbel¡¯s voice seemed to being out in a shocked manner but Horas¡¯s brain decided it needed a break.
¡¡¡¡..
Principal Marble tried not to cry out in shock as the kid fainted in front of her. Never had she seen this happen in her long carrier as the Principal and she was afraid of what it meant.
Had something gone wrong with the testing? Did she need to change the equipment? How much would it cost overall?
¡°Principal, I think you should take the kid to the school nurse before you have a panic attack. I think the exam ended up being too physically taxing for a five-year-old.¡±
Mark was the voice of reason in all this panic as he looked at the exhausted kid. The kid seemed to have fallen asleep more than anything else to him.
¡°Right, the doctor. I forgot all about it with my panic. So, does that mean there is nothing wrong with the equipment we are currently using? I will not have to rece it all, right?¡±
Principal Marbel had her own set of worries which made Mark concerned about the future of this institution. It was a wealthy ce but the expenses it bore were too much.
¡°Yeah, there is nothing wrong with the equipment, just with the child. Now, why don¡¯t you allow me to take over the kid¡¯s education and development? I can see that you have too much on your te right now.¡±
Mark was not a ¡®parent¡¯ type of guy. In fact, he was too young to be a parent since he was only 21 years old. But even he could see that he would be a better fit to look after the kid than Principal Marbel.
Besides, top-ranked Guild mastersckedmon sense and often had a twisted sense of morality. Mark felt sorry for anyone who had to grow up with them as their guardians.
¡°Alright, I can see the point in your words. You can take over as the guardian for the kid temporarily but make sure he learns everything he needs to. I will leave his development in your hand.¡±
Principal Marbel left after saying those words and Mark looked at the unconscious kid in his arms.
He had no idea what he was getting into but he knew he had just saved a kid¡¯s life.
¡°You better be grateful to meter kid. You have no idea what kind of sacrifices I have made for your sake already.¡±
Chapter 6 Ch 4: Adoption For Real
?Horas had a nightmare where he had transmigrated into his novel and then been made to take a test from hell. He was so thankful when he woke up that silent tears streamed down his face.
¡®Finally, the nightmare is over. I need to see what time it is.¡¯
Horas turned to his side, waiting to see a familiar pillow and his phone. But something was different about his surroundings.
No, nor something! Everything was different about his surroundings and Horas raised his arm to rub his eyes. And then he noticed it - his arm was small and thin like a kid¡¯s. There was also a shiny metallic spot in the middle of it.
He quickly touched the shiny spot and it opened up to show a gaming system-like panel.
[[[Initiating boot-up system instation. Scanning initials.
User name: Horas Spencer, 5 years 6 months old
Lvl 1
Stats:
Strength: 1/10
Stamina: 3/10
Luck: 5/10
Mana: 1/10
Intelligence 7/10
Speed 2/10
Additional Skills: None]]]
Horas opened his mouth to shout but something in him was causing him to feel sleepy and incapable of shouting. It was for good reasons as well since Horas noticed the man sitting at his side a little toote.
It seemed like the man at his side was busy sleeping so he did not disturb him for now. He recognized the man as the devil who was responsible for Horas being in the hospital.
¡°The doctor said you pushed yourself too hard so you should rest and get something to eat. There is a protein bar on your side table you can munch on until real foodes in.¡±
Horas looked at his side to find a chocte bar waiting for him. Still, he did not reach out to take the offered food and he watched the man in front of him carefully to see what would happen next.
Horas might not have remembered ever writing a character such as Mark, but that did not mean he did not recognize people like him.
Mark was likely using Horas for his research and Horas would not allow himself to fall victim to the man. He would not touch the chocte bar no matter how hungry he got.
¡°Hoh, not reaching for chocte? I thought kids like you liked chocte. Or, are you being cautious since you do not know me as well as you should? You are a smart kid-¡±
Horas dodged Mark¡¯s hand when it came out to pet him. He was not taking any chances today and especially not with this man in front of him.
¡°What the¡ª...Hey, I saved your life, kid. Cut me some ck and put your guard down.¡±
Mark sounded tired and resigned as he watched Horas put his guard up. Horas knew that look so he tried to rx a little.
At the same time, the doctor finally entered the room. No one could have guessed that the female in front of them was a doctor if not for her clothing.
First of all, she was muscr and wild-looking. Next, she had a lot of body muscles and looked as if she could snap you into two without even trying. She was someone Horas had made up on a whim but had liked enough to keep around.
She was Sarah Mills, also known as Lady Heals. She was the resident healer of the Esper¡¯s academy and also a keyponent of the MC¡¯s future party.
Or, she had been before she had been killed in a raid battle while saving the MC. In other words, she had been a cannon fodder character Horas knew to stay clear of.
[[[Scanning Character.
Name: Sarah Mills.
Code Name: Lady Heals.
Affiliation: Esper¡¯s academy]]]
¡°Hey Mark, let the little guy breathe a little. Can¡¯t you see that you are scaring him? Sorry, little guy but this guy here is a little insensitive when ites to people.¡±
Lady Heals smacked Mark on the back and the impact sound made it seem like it hurt. Mark even winches as a result of being smacked.
Horas felt his body flinch even when he knew there was no reason to. He was not the one being hurt.
¡°Sarah, what the hell? Can¡¯t you see that you are the one scaring the kid, not me? Your buffon-like build can make anyone cry.¡±
Markined as he tried to rub his back. He was hurt and now would have a bruise.
He did not notice the tick mark on Sarah¡¯s forehead as she cracked her hands together. Nor did he see the other smacking his way before it made contact with his back.
¡°Shut up, you jerk. If you don¡¯t have anything nice to say then don¡¯t say anything. Anyway, kid, there is no need for you to be scared of me. I¡¯m not a scarydy.¡±
Sarah Mills tried to savage her reputation but it was of no use. Or, it would have been of no use had the kid she was trying to convince been anyone other than Horas.
Horas might look like a kid but he was an adult and also the creator of this world. He knew Sarah¡¯s character better than anyone else. She was a good person under all her ¡®macho-charms¡¯.
¡°I¡¯m really hungry. Can I get something to eat?¡±
Horas was not a shy kid so he asked for food right away. Sarah looked a little taken aback before a grin broke free on her face.
¡°Sure kid, I will feed you well. Hey Mark, help me get some food for the kid.¡±
Horas watched as markined but he did push himself to stand up. It was weird to be treated in such a manner but he was not disappointed in the least.
If this was to be his new reality, then Horas wanted to be as prepared as he could. Since he knew the future, he wanted to save himself as much hassle as he could.
¡®First thing first, I need to get stronger. I made the second lead have limitless potential to keep up with the main lead but I never developed him. I cannot make the same mistake again.¡¯
¡¡¡¡..
¡°So, the kid finally fell asleep, huh? So, care to tell me what is going on here? Why do we suddenly have a kid in our school now? He is not seriously going to be a student, right?¡±
Sarah Mills asked as soon as she noticed that the kid had dozed off. It had been only about a matter of time since she had used sedatives in his drip. The kid needed nutrition and sleep the most.
She did not know what kind of childhood this kid had, but it had been an unfortunate one for sure. The kid had too many supplements and suppressants in his body to dy his progress.
It was almost as if someone was desperate to stop the kid from growing. And it would have a lot of impact on his future development.
¡°I don¡¯t know what the principal was thinking either when she brought the kid in. But the kid did get fitted with a system so he has no choice but to enroll and be a Hunter now. The world would not leave the kid alone otherwise.¡±
In this new world, there were only two ways to survive - you either ally yourself with a guild and be a ¡®good guy¡¯ or you joined the dark side and be a ¡®viin¡¯.
Both had the same goal - to conquer the dungeons and make sure the earth was safe. But both sides had different reasons for doing so.
The only way to ess one¡¯s abilities was through the technology called a ¡®system¡¯ and it had taken humans a lot of time to figure out how to make use of it.
¡°I feel sorry for the kid and I don¡¯t think he will survive for long. Do you have a n as his new guardian?¡±
Sarah asked as she looked at the kid. Unlike these creepy, unfeeling people in front of her, she had a lot of feelings about a kid being here.
¡°Hmm, I think I will keep the kid in mybs and train him in stamina and endurance for two years before allowing him to join the regr crew. I have a feeling the kid¡¯s smart enough to help me out behind the scenes.¡±
Mark replied with a rtively t tone. His eyes were calcting as he looked at the kid in front of him.
He got a smack in the back of his head for his effort. It did not hurt much but it did strike his consciousness a little.
¡®Right, this is no time for me to be joking around. I need to pay attention to the kid I identally took in and will have to raise now.¡¯
¡°You know what Mark, I don¡¯t think you know what you are doing with your life right now. You are making me feel bad for the kid now.¡±
Sarah did sound sorry when she said that and Mark felt his forehead tick in irritation. But then he looked at the kid in front of him and Mark¡¯s anger drained away slowly. And then the reality of his situation hit him.
At age of 21, Mark had be a dad and he was not even married. God, his life was turning all the wrong turns nowadays.
''I knew I should not havee to my job today. I should have listened to my friend''s advise.''
Chapter 7 Ch 5: The First Dungeon [Pt1]
?After Horas had woken up, he had been taken to theb and then made to wait for Mark. Mark had also informed Horas of his new living arrangements in a hurried manner.
In short, Horas had been abandoned in front of theb door as soon as he had been picked up. And it was as disappointing as was expected by him.
¡®Mark should consider himself lucky that I am not an ordinary child. Otherwise, he would have a crying kid on his hand.¡¯
Horas did not have a lot of experience dealing with children but even he knew five years old were terrors and could drive a person insane if they wanted to. Horas was not looking ahead to ¡®socializing¡¯ with people his age.
¡°Hmmm, now that I have time, I should take a look at my system properly. I know I made this system but I don¡¯t have any idea how it works.¡±
Horas was slowly realizing how different it was to write about a thing and experience a thing in real life. He felt like a fifty-year-old who was looking at aputer for the first time.
He did not even know how to bring up the system screen properly and he was convinced that thest time had been a fluke.
[[[User name : Horas Spencer, 5 years 6 months old
Affiliation: Unknown
Stats:
Strength: 1/10
Stamina: 3/10
Luck: 5/10
Mana: 1/10
Intelligence 7/10
Speed 2/10
Additional Skills: None]]]
Horas could tell that his stats were only basic right now and all because was a child. He was disappointed to see that he had no additional skill avable to him.
¡®I guess I am not the protagonist so I will not have any additional skill. But did I not give the second lead anything?¡¯
Horas only realized what a big oversight he had made when writing the novel. He had developed the viins and the main cast but forgot to consider any other person. And that even included the second lead such as himself now.
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I am the author and I know all the cheats. I can just snatch some buffs for myselfter.¡±
Horas sounded determined to have a good future and he was willing to study hard for it.
¡°Hoh, are you talking to yourself right now? Do children your age generally do this often?¡±
Mark exited theb with a tired expression. He had a big folder in his hands and his back was hunched.
But Mark had alert eyes which took in everything he saw and analyzed it all for future usage. He was truly a frightful person and Horas did not remember writing about such a person.
¡°Anyway, now that we are done here, It¡¯s time I took you to pick a weapon. Hey, don¡¯t look at me like this. It¡¯s all the principal¡¯s fault for forcing you into this position.¡±
Horas knew that but he still could not help it. It was easier to show his displeasure to the man in front of him than to the principal who was not there.
¡®But isn¡¯t it too much? How can you expect a five-year-old to handle a weapon and not hurt yourself?¡¯
From Horas¡¯s perspective, it made perfect sense why he should ¡®not¡¯ get a weapon. But no one else apart from him seemed to be normal and it looked like he was getting a weapon now.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
The weapon hall was empty at this time of the day and this was the first stroke of luck Horas had all day. He was sure that he would have be a subject of rumors had people been in the weapon hall at this time.
Mark lead him to the weapon selection aisle and they stopped in front of the buffest man Horas had ever seen in his life - the weapon instructor.
¡°Wow, isn¡¯t this a rare sight to see in here? Did you finally decide to embrace the superior field that is weaponry and give up your pathetic technicalb, Mark?¡±
Every word the weapon instructor spoke shook the surroundings. The man was not only loud but oblivious as well.
He ignored Horas¡¯s existence and did not take a clue when Mark rubbed his ears in pain. Instead, he began to pick out weapons left and right. He even ignored Mark¡¯s protest which finally caused Mark to curse.
¡°Lieutenant, I am not here for myself today. We have a new ¡®student¡¯ who needs a weapon. Now, don¡¯t be surprised because it¡¯s the principal¡¯s order, and do not yell.¡±
Mark warned the instructor but even then he braced himself for the loud noise that was about to erupt out of the instructor¡¯s mouth.
¡°Huh, what do you¨CMark, I respect you as a human being, but why did you bring a kid in here? No, why is there a kid in this facility in the first ce? Don¡¯t tell me-?¡±
It took some time for the weapon instructor to put two-on-two together but Horas could not even me him this time. This was a ridiculous situation, to begin with after all.
¡°Mark, have you lost all of your brain cells while looking at the screen? This is a kid, no not even a kid right now. Surely you are not asking me to-¡±
¡°Oh, believe me, that I am asking you exactly that right now. This kid is the one we need to find a weapon for.¡±
The look of disbelief on the weapon instructor¡¯s face was priceless right then. His eyes looked ready to bulge out of his skull and his hands seemed to have be cold as well. Horas felt sorry for the man, but he felt sorry for himself a little more.
That was why he decided to look around for a weapon that suited him. If he was going to get a weapon anyway, he wanted something easy to use.
¡®And let¡¯s not go for a sword this time. I don¡¯t need to bepared to the main character in the future.¡¯
It was not because Horas was petty and wanted to not be first. He just wanted something he was familiar with and easier to work around. Also, something with tactical distance would be better for him.
¡®I need a gun. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m from a different world but a gun feels like the best weapon out of everything here.¡¯
Guns were easier to use and load and Horas¡¯s brain just defaulted toward them. It did not matter that they were an outdated choice for most people.
¡°Hey kid, stop walking around. You could get yourself hurt if you are not careful. Just what are you looking around so curiously for?¡±
The weapon instructor asked as he watched Horas almost get nicked by a sword he had not seen. The kid was shaving off years from his life currently.
¡°Ah, I wanted to look for a gun. Somehow, I have a feeling it would suit me the most.¡±
The weapon instructor had a sorry look on his face as he watched Horas look for a gun. A gun was generally not a weapon that was looked upon favorably.
¡°Hey kid, I know the movies make guns look cool but maybe you should look for something more practical and future-proof. Maybe a weapon that can conduct mana will be better?¡±
The weapon instructor seemed to be having a hard time epting Horas¡¯s decision as he looked between the kid and the weapon aisle.
¡°Instructor, he¡¯s a kid. I don¡¯t think he can even handle a mana-infused weapon yet. Now that I think about it, a tight gun might be the best choice of weapon for the kid. It even has safety mode.¡±
Mark seemed to be on Horas¡¯s side at least which was fortunate. He could argue for his case since it looked like the weapon instructor was not going to budge.
¡°Kak, a gun? Never in my life have I ever taught anyone to shoot. But I guess you do make a good point. Alright, a gun it is.¡±
The instructor moved toward the back side of the room and pulled out a small briefcase. He opened it to show a light gun model and pulled it out.
¡°This is the only model we have for now. Make sure you do not lose it and look for me when it¡¯s time to train. I will personally teach you to-¡±
The instructor patted Horas on the back as he let him go. Horas barely managed to correct hisnding before he could hurt himself on another sword.
¡°Instructor, it was nice to meet you but I think we should get going now. There is too much to do right now and I am afraid that we will bete if we did not leave right now.¡±
The instructor looked a little taken aback at the sudden departure but he let it not show on his face. Horas was all but valued out of the room by Mark and then deposited in front of theb door.
¡°Do not spend too long with that instructor or you will be a muscle head as well. You have got a good head on your shoulders kid so I want to train you as my sessor. Do not fall for other¡¯s sweet lies.¡±
Mark sounded annoyed and Horas almost let out augh. His new life seemed to be turning interesting all of a sudden.
Chapter 8 Ch 6: The First Dungeon [Pt2]
?¡°Alright, it¡¯ll be your first lesson in mana coding. I take it you have never seen a ¡®system Analytics¡¯ before?¡±
Horas tried to understand what Mark was saying but it sounded like gibberish. It was disheartening to know that he did not understand this aspect of something he created himself.
¡®No, I should not get discouraged. I might have written this world but that does not mean I know everything about this reality.¡¯
The more Horas had seen, the more he had understood that not everything would go his way just because he knew things. Even the weapon he had chosen would be at a disadvantage in the future.
¡°I don¡¯t know anything. Where should I start with?¡±
Horas cringed as soon as he asked this question. There was a shrewd glint that Horas recognized as ¡®pain and suffering.¡¯
¡°You see this book? Read it twice and then I will get you started on the basics. Look up what you don¡¯t understand on the inte and ask me only *very important* questions.¡±
Horas looked at the weapon of mass destruction in front of him. It was a huge tomb that was heavy and would weigh at least 5 KG if he had to guess.
He looked up at Mark and his expression read ¡®seriously?¡¯ Mark onlyughed at his ridiculous expression.
¡°Sorry kid. But you will have to make do with reading. I am the only analytic here so I am quite busy.¡±
Suddenly, Horas felt bad for Mark. This man had dark circles under his eyes from over-working and he wanted to help Mark out. But then he looked at the book in front of him and had second thoughts.
But in the end, he did pick up the book and began reading it. He needed to do something with his time.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
Horas would like to say that he had learned a lot in a week but that would be lying. All he had done was get started on the basics of the system and learn a fewmands.
He was not a genius so he had to start slow and easy. But he finally felt like he was getting a hang of it by this point.
But that was only as long as it concerned the system part. His ¡®physical and weapon¡¯ training on the other hand required a lot of concern. He was just a disappointment.
¡°Hey Horas, it¡¯s time for you to head over to the weapon range. Your instructor is waiting for you and I heard he has a surprise for you today.¡±
Horas paled as soon as he heard the words ¡®surprise.¡¯
Usually, he loved surprises and even looked forward to a few. But this was a fictional world he had written. And since he knew this world very well, he also knew that nothing good woulde out of being surprised.
¡°Are you sure I cannot bail out of training? I promise to study harder with you.¡±
Horas made a promise but he knew that it would not go through. There was a nk expression on Mark¡¯s face as he looked Horas in the eye.
¡°I don¡¯t know where you learned to say such things but I will not allow you to skip out on training. I don¡¯t want to face principal Marble and she wille down if you are not in ss.¡±
Sometimes, Horas got the feeling that Mark forgot he was five years old. The older ma certainly remembered it only at times when he needed to.
¡°Fine, I get it. You will be in trouble if I don¡¯t go, right? I am going now.¡±
Ultimately, it was Horas¡¯s loss, and he quickly made his way out of theb. He looked toward the garden and it suddenly urred to him that he had not been outside for a whole week and no one had questioned it.
¡®Stupid world and stupid moral rules here. I should have given these people some consciousness.¡¯
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
¡°Cadet Horas, you are finally here. Did you get stuck somewhere because of your short legs? We will have to rectify thatter.¡±
Horas wanted to inject and tell the inspector that it did not matter if he had short legs or not. It would not matter since it was his age that was the problem.
But of course, Horas knew the loud man well. And since he knew the loud man well, he also knew he should save his breath and not say anything right now.
¡°Anyway Cadet, now that you are finally here, I can introduce you to the team. This here is Nesh and that is Lucas. They will be apanying us on our outing.¡±
The loud man, also known as Instructor Harris pointed toward his side where two teenagers were standing with their mouths hanging open.
¡°Ummm, Instructor, I think there is a mistake here. You said that we will be meeting our third team member, not a kid.¡±
Nash reminded the instructor as she looked Horas up and down. And from what Horas could see, Nash did not look impressed with what she saw.
On the other hand, Lucas had a more interested expression on his face. But even he looked a little taken aback when he saw Horas.
¡°Nash, I know what I promised, and Horas here is your team member for real. I have been training him for a week and I feel like he¡¯s ready toe with us.¡±
¡°But he¡¯s a kid.¡±
¡°And he¡¯s also your team member so you better pay respect to him. He¡¯lle in handy for sure and besides, we don¡¯t have a choice. This is what the principal ordered us to do.¡±
Nash went quiet once she knew that the order to include Horas came from the principal herself. Principal Marbel was one of the top 10 Adventurers on this continent and she was highly respected.
As such, her words could not be taken lightly.
¡°Well, if it¡¯s the Principal who ordered us to be stuck with a kid, there is not much we can do about it. I am sure she has a n for us so calm down Nash.¡±
Lucas put one hand on Nash¡¯s shoulder as the only female calmed down. She looked Horas up and down before sighing.
¡°You better be worth the effort, kid. I do not want to risk my life because you did not manage to pull your weight. Are you even a kid? Or just someone with weird abilities that make you appear like a kid.¡±
Horas did not reply to Nash¡¯s question since he was not sure. He was sure that he was a kid currently but only physically. Mentally, he was older than everyone in this room.
¡°Alright, enough chit-chatting. Pick your weapons and let¡¯s go.¡±
Horas did pick up his gun but he doubted he would be using it at all. He did not have enough practice, his body was not developed enough to hold the gun properly and he was not able to maintain the recoil properly.
He could see that Nash had a lot of words to say when she checked his equipment window, but then she thought that it was better to keep quiet right now.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s cheer for a sessful mission.¡±
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
Horas hated walking with his short legs. His body presented Horas with a problem and that was his physical fitness. It was unfair to ask a five-year-old to keep up with a teenager and a trained soldier.
¡°Huff, can you all slow down?¡±
Horas requested with his red face as he tried to catch up with the group in front of him. He could tell that he was causing the group significant dy but what could he do?
¡°Should I just pick you up and carry you along? It might be faster than to slow down intentionally for you.¡±
Nash¡¯s irritated words were meant in a way that should insulting but Horas¡¯s legs were hurting. And since he was offered, Horas would not deny the service being offered.
¡°You¡¯ll be picking me up? Thank you in advance for your service.¡±
Nash¡¯s mouth fell open at Horas¡¯s reply. He could tell that Nash had not expected Horas to take her up on the offer but her pride prevented her from taking her words back.
She silently marched up to Horas and picked up his small body. Nash was not a tall or buffdy and she seemed not to have invested skills in stamina. She would run out of gas even before an hour was over.
Horas did not care much for Nash¡¯s physical health but the same could not be said about their instructor.
¡°Nash, it will be better if I take the kid. I know you can handle him but you also need to conserve your strength for the mission. This dungeon is not going to be easy.¡±
Nash looked upset and her eyes looked ready to fight the instructor and make him back off. But no matter how stubborn she was, even though she knew her physical capabilities but she was not happy.
It was not her opinion but Nash handed Horas over to their instructor. Horas allowed himself to be handled and carried away. He still had no idea why he had been brought along on this mission but he was not about to say anything.
He had a feeling he would know soon enough.
Chapter 9 Ch 7: Into The Wild
?¡°So, which dungeon are we heading into Instructor Harris? I don¡¯t think you specified the details to us yet.¡±
Lucas asked the question a little over an hour into their journey. Horas was interested to know the answer to this as well.
He had written many dungeons but they were all under the control of the government in the end. Some wealthy people and top guilds had a semi-ownership in some dungeons for training but no individual owned a dungeon.
And dungeons came in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They could be a jungle or an urban setting. It was impossible to say unless one headed inside.
¡°Well, it¡¯s a surprise. But don¡¯t worry since we are about to reach our destination soon. I hope you did your studying and know what to do and not to do during your dungeon run.¡±
Instructor Harris did not tell the group where they were going and instead diverted their attention elsewhere.
¡°We know. We are not supposed to run off and face the boss since it can cause the dungeon to copse. Unless we get special permission, we are not allowed to go into the boss room.¡±
There was two way to conquer the dungeon - overwhelm it and take control of it with your mana, or kill the boss. Both were frowned upon since they could cause a dungeon to copse.
And in current times, dungeons were resources one could repeatedly mine if you were careful.
¡°Very good. Since you are all such good students I know you will behave well. Ah, looks like we are finally here.¡±
Instructor Harris put Horas down once he spotted his target. Horas did not see it at first but once they walked closer, it was quite obvious where they were headed.
There was a mechanical door in the middle of the forest and it hid the entrance to a well-established base of the dungeon association. It was a ce that controlled the maintenance as well as protection of dungeons.
Currently, a man was waiting outside the facility gate and he looked agitated. His concerned look faded away as soon as he noticed Harris head over.
¡°Instructor Harris, you are finally here. And this is your team? I thought the academy said it will be a fresh squad of three?¡±
The nervous agent asked as he looked behind instructor Harris.
Horas did not have to be a genius to know that he was being overlooked by the man in front of them.
¡°What do you mean? There are four of us. Look, three kids and one instructor.¡±
Harris boasted as he pointed at his back. Finally, the agent noticed Horas¡¯s existence and he looked just as taken aback.
¡°Instructor Harris, I think you are getting a little too old nowadays. You brought a kid with you.¡±
The broker looked toward Horas with an ufortable expression. He seemed to be judging Horas¡¯s usefulness.
¡°Hahahah, don¡¯t worry my friend. The principal is the one who decided on this team so let¡¯s trust her judgment. I am sure you will not be disappointed by our decision.¡±
Their broker still looked like he was not convinced but he decided to not question the authenticity of the im. He looked on ufortably as the instructor led his group behind closed doors.
¡°Just so that you are clear Instructor Harris, the Dungeon association will take no responsibility if something happened to your kids. So they will need to be careful in the dungeon.¡±
The broker reminded Harris again and Horas had a feeling it was all because of him.
Had these been normal circumstances, even Horas would have found it hard for a kid to enter the dungeon. He still found it hard to swallow that he had to enter the dungeon at the mere age of five.
¡°Don¡¯t worry my friend. It¡¯s just a rank F dungeon so nothing will happen. Besides, I will be entering into it with suppression on as well. Everything will be alright.¡±
It did not look to be alright from the broker¡¯s face but even he was running out of excuses at this point. In the end, the broker just sighed and agreed to open the door. But not before he made everyone sign a waiver.
¡°Alright gang, we are finally in. And it¡¯s time I tell you why you all were selected and what your role here is.¡±
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
It turned out that despite everything that happened, Inspector Harris did have a n in ce. And the team he had selected was not chosen without reason.
[[[Name : Nesh, Age 15 years, 2 months
Affinity: Esper¡¯s academy
Special skill: Mesh binding archery]]]
Nesh used a bow and pulled the string back. Her arrow broke into small-like things and caused the small monsters to be immobile. It did not take long for the to dissolve the monsters as well.
She was good at crowd control.
¡°Nesh, a small wave is iing at 90 degrees. Make sure you get them all.¡±
Lucas quickly ordered as he focused on sensing more of their surroundings.
[[[Name : Lucas, Age 16 years
Affinity: Esper¡¯s academy
Special skill: Hyper awareness]]]
Lucas¡¯s ability allowed him to notice even the smallest of the moment and point it out. Both teenagers were not apt at using their gifts yet but they were doing good.
Instructor Harris looked especially giddy to see them working their way ahead as he held Horas.
Horas had not been allowed to fight at the moment and that was for the better. The bright grin instructor Harris sent his way told Horas that Instructor Harris had ns for him.
¡°Alright group, you are doing good. Now slowly head toward the west and you will see a building.¡±
The current dungeon they were in was a mix of forest and modernndscape. It made adapting just a little easier for Horas and the others.
¡°Hey, old man *huff* shut up if you are not going to help.¡±
Nash replied as she pulled her bow back again. Another was fired out of her bow and took care of thest wave. They finally had breathing room again.
¡°Alright, you both did well. Now Horas, it¡¯s your turn to do what you need to. Do you see this duct up there? You need to crawl inside and open the door from inside. Think you can do this?¡±
Horas looked up at the pipe and he doubted if he would be able to sneak through something this thin. He was a thin and frail child so the chances of him seeding were decent.
¡°And why can we not just break the door and announce our wee?¡±
Nash asked and raised her bow but Lucas stopped her in quick moments.
¡°Are you an idiot? If we break the wall then the whole next wille out to look for us. I do think it¡¯ll be best to open the door from inside.¡±
Lucas instantly drove in and stopped Nash from continuing her thought process. Nash had an embarrassed look on her face as she was reprimanded but her eyes were still full of stubbornness.
She did not say anything after it was proven that she was wrong. She did not want to admit her mistake.
¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get this operation underway. Horas, be careful out there and do not take unnecessary risks. Here, also carry this since you cannot use a gun.¡±
Horas was handed a small but shining ball in his hand. It looked like it short is scorching hot but it was pretty cold to the touch. Horas was interested in the ball but he decided to keep it in his utility storage for the time being.
¡°Good luck kid. And use the bomb if you find yourself in a pinch. It¡¯s quite strong.¡±
Horas was really d he had put the small glowing orb away when he had. If he had heard that it was a bomb before putting it away, a few idents would have happened.
Even Jay and Nash looked surprised at their instructor¡¯sck of tact. Nash especially had a surprised look on her face.
¡°You gave a kid explosives? Instructor, what the hell-¡±
Horas wanted to hear more but he decided to take care of the mission before he could rx. The small vent was just enough space for Horas¡¯s small body to be able to crawl through.
He was thankful for the protective suit he was wearing. Otherwise, there would be a lot of scratch marks on his knees and hands.
¡®I wish I could tap on my arm to see the map. It¡¯s so annoying to walk through this maze-like space¡¯
The main reason Horas was having a difficult time was that his small body was not able to perfectly. It was a little annoying how much effort crawling around required.
Finally, Horas ended up finding a small grill and he dropped the tool he had been given. The grill was melted away, leaving nothing behind.
¡°Ugh, how do I jump down from this height? I don¡¯t want to break my legs.¡±
Horas sighed as he looked around the room. It was quite clean and it was not that high. There was even a couch that Horas could use as anding to save himself from the impact.
Luckily, his arms had enough energy to hang on andnd on the couch. His legs would have been a goner otherwise.
Chapter 10 Ch 8: Celebrating Too Early [Pt1]
?The half-dead monster was standing back up all of a sudden and its attack took everyone by surprise. Horas noticed it first but that did not mean the others did not notice the attack as well.
¡°Everyone, be on alert.¡±
Horas yelled as loudly as he could and in time for Nash and Lucas to dodge the half-broken bade of the mantis monster behind them.
¡°What the hell? Why is it still alive? I am sure I pierced this thing in its heart.¡±
Nashined as she watched the mantis give a loud yell before attacking the group again. Her bow was making back-attacks but the mantis seemed faster than before.
Not only was it avoiding all the attacks, but also adapted to their moments. Soon it would outss Nash and be a real threat to them. And as the monster adapted, it was also evolving.
¡°W-What is happening? I never heard about a monstering back from the dead.¡±
Lucas recalled all the lessons he had ever taken and he was certain that none talked about such a possibility. The mantis was an oddity and this dungeon was unstable all of a sudden.
¡°Shit, this is not good. Listen, kids, this situation is not one you will learn about in ss since it¡¯s rare but it can happen. The monster is evolving here which means the level of his dungeon is rising. It is no longer an F-ss dungeon.¡±
Instructor Harris quickly exined as he took Horas in his arms and dodged the mantis.
Generally, such a dungeon would have been a cakewalk for an A-ss adventurer like him. But he hadpressed his powers to fit into the F-ss dungeon.
He is no better than an F-ss adventurer right now, but with just better reflexed and body control. He would not be of any help to these kids.
¡°What do we do? My attacks are not having an effect anymore.¡±
Nash was panicking and she failed to see the de heading toward her torso. She did avoid the attack in the end, but it left her with a scar on her face which shed right across her nose.
Now that things were happening, he remembered worrying about such an event. But only in a sh-back scenario where a dungeon had evolved all of a sudden.
And he remembered a certain adventurer in the early parts of the novel who had a grudge against the mantis dungeon and had a pretty one-sided rivalry with clearing it.
As far as he remembers, the adventurer had been pretty pissed off when the main character had cleared the dungeon before her.
¡®Ah, so it was this dungeon. So does that mean I am going to die here? Someone did die in here, right?¡¯
Horas did not remember everything but he did remember that someone died in there. And he knew that he was not supposed to be here today. The story was starting to divert from its intended path already.
¡°Kids, calm down. This is an emergency so I will call the front office and ask for special permission to close down this dungeon. There is no need to worry.¡±
Instructor Harris tried to calm everything down but his efforts seemed to be in vain. The more he tried to instruct, the louder that mantis yelled. It was trying to muffle their instructor¡¯s attempts to take charge.
¡°Tsk, what a horrifying monster. It¡¯s almost as if it¡¯s gaining intelligence as it fights.¡±
That was not entirely impossible since Horas had written some monsters like that. But they were generally higher-level monsters that were only supposed to appear muchter.
Had he written the mantis-like that? Wasn¡¯t this too early in the timeline for such a thing to happen? Horas did not remember the mantis being that big of a threat in the real novel.
¡°Lucas, are you alright?¡±
Nash¡¯s loud yell vibrated the ce and Horas watched with wide eyes as Lucas was smacked down hard on the ground. There were a few broken bones that resulted due to the impact for sure.
The only condolence was that Lucas was not dead yet.
¡°Shit, stay away from him, you freak. How dare youe here and harm us like this.¡±
Nash was losing it from fear and her rational judgment was being impaired. She was attacking the mantis but the monster did not stop. its hard shell had no impact even when Nash tried her best.
It seemed to be thest day for Lucas.
¡°Darn it. I will take responsibility for my actionster. But no one else is dying on my watch.¡±
Instructor Harris decided that he could not take it anymore. He needed to save Lucas from his death and Horas felt the sudden bout of energy surrounding him.
The mantis also turned toward their direction, its ws raised in anger and fear as it changed directions.
A new threat had appeared and the mantis¡¯s attention was split toward this new target. It let out a terrifying yell as it charged toward instructor Harris.
¡°Sorry for the hassle kid, but looks like you are stuck with me for now.¡±
Instructor Harris apologized before he jumped high to avoid being crushed by the mantis. It seemed to stagger the mantis enough that it yelled in rage. Its prey had escaped its clutches.
The mantis had developed human intelligence but not enough to form all aspects of awareness. Instructor Harris used his sword to cleave the mantis shell cleanly and then burned him for good measure.
¡°Good riddance. I guess it was not a big deal after all.¡±
Instructor Harris boasted as he came down from his high. Around the group, the dungeon began to copse.
Due to a high adventurer¡¯s magic, the F-ss space could not handle it anymore and disintegrated into dust. All the monsters and their materials inside were reduced to ashes.
¡°Instructor, I think we caused a huge scandal. It will not affect our social score, right?¡±
Nash asked with a heavy heart but she seemed to have epted her fate already. They would all be fined for the copse of this dungeon, even Horas.
¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it. I will take care to exin this situation to the higher-ups somehow. You all just need to believe in me.¡±
Horas did not believe in instructor Harris and nothing could make him believe the elder man right now as well. They were all doomed.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
The dungeon association¡¯s office was quiet today. It was certainly a first for every buddy branch and the members could not help but question this sudden luck.
And that was why everyone was on edge right now. As a rule, such a period of calmness was generally apanied by something bad happening.
*Ringggggggggggggg*
No one was surprised when the rm started zing all of a sudden. The day would have been more unnerving had this rm not zed to like all of a sudden.
¡°Finally. It was about time for the rm to ze.¡±
¡°True. I was getting worried when the rm did not sound.¡±
¡°So, wanna bet what went wrong? I think it might be a sudden eruption of monsters. Or maybe it¡¯s an extraction because someone managed to chew more than they could bite?¡±
The branch busted out in gossip as soon as they got a chance to do so. The branch had gotten lively all of a sudden when the front door opened.
Everyone went quiet once again as section chief Samuel entered the base. He was a straightced person who did not enjoy bantering around and generally expected perfection from his employees.
In other words, he was a killjoy and everyone was on edge as soon as they noticed him entering.
¡°What is the matter with this rm?¡±
Section chief Samuel and no one replied. They had all forgotten to check up on the emergency since they were not emergencies most of the time.
Finally, an employee checked up on the situation and he went pale. Everyone else noticed this sudden quietness as well but they respected the section chief enough not to speak up when he was standing in front.
¡°S-Sir, it¡¯s a Code White. An F-ss dungeon is evolving and Instructor Harris put out a request for power release.¡±
Everyone was shocked at those words.
It was impossible odds for a Code White to happen, especially in a dungeon as low as F-ss. Those monsters were not aware enough to undergo evolution.
¡°S-Sir, I am afraid that the dungeon copsed due to instructor Harris¡¯s aura. What should we do now? We had requests for that dungeon pending.¡±
The section chief looked ticked off at his staff. He had invested a lot into that F-ss dungeon and now it was gone.
But he could not say anything in the face of a Code White situation.
¡°You all, stand back. I will take care of this situation myself and talk with Instructor Harris. Expect your sries to be cut in half this month.¡±
The employees wanted to reduce their section chief¡¯s words but they could not. They had messed up after all and they did not have enough authority.
¡°I knew I should have stayed at home today.¡±
An employee moaned out as he watched his bank ount shrink. Especially after paying all his debts, he would be in the bottom of red this month as well.
Chapter 11 Ch 9: Celebrating Too Early [Pt2]
?The half-dead monster was standing back up all of a sudden and its attack took everyone by surprise. Horas noticed it first but that did not mean the others did not notice the attack as well.
¡°Everyone, be on alert.¡±
Horas yelled as loudly as he could and in time for Nash and Lucas to dodge the half-broken bade of the mantis monster behind them.
¡°What the hell? Why is it still alive? I am sure I pierced this thing in its heart.¡±
Nashined as she watched the mantis give a loud yell before attacking the group again. Her bow was making back-attacks but the mantis seemed faster than before.
Not only was it avoiding all the attacks, but also adapted to their moments. Soon it would outss Nash and be a real threat to them. And as the monster adapted, it was also evolving.
¡°W-What is happening? I never heard about a monstering back from the dead.¡±
Lucas recalled all the lessons he had ever taken and he was certain that none talked about such a possibility. The mantis was an oddity and this dungeon was unstable all of a sudden.
¡°Shit, this is not good. Listen, kids, this situation is not one you will learn about in ss since it¡¯s rare but it can happen. The monster is evolving here which means the level of his dungeon is rising. It is no longer an F-ss dungeon.¡±
Instructor Harris quickly exined as he took Horas in his arms and dodged the mantis.
Generally, such a dungeon would have been a cakewalk for an A-ss adventurer like him. But he hadpressed his powers to fit into the F-ss dungeon.
He is no better than an F-ss adventurer right now, but with just better reflexed and body control. He would not be of any help to these kids.
¡°What do we do? My attacks are not having an effect anymore.¡±
Nash was panicking and she failed to see the de heading toward her torso. She did avoid the attack in the end, but it left her with a scar on her face which shed right across her nose.
Now that things were happening, he remembered worrying about such an event. But only in a sh-back scenario where a dungeon had evolved all of a sudden.
And he remembered a certain adventurer in the early parts of the novel who had a grudge against the mantis dungeon and had a pretty one-sided rivalry with clearing it.
As far as he remembers, the adventurer had been pretty pissed off when the main character had cleared the dungeon before her.
¡®Ah, so it was this dungeon. So does that mean I am going to die here? Someone did die in here, right?¡¯
Horas did not remember everything but he did remember that someone died in there. And he knew that he was not supposed to be here today. The story was starting to divert from its intended path already.
¡°Kids, calm down. This is an emergency so I will call the front office and ask for special permission to close down this dungeon. There is no need to worry.¡±
Instructor Harris tried to calm everything down but his efforts seemed to be in vain. The more he tried to instruct, the louder that mantis yelled. It was trying to muffle their instructor¡¯s attempts to take charge.
¡°Tsk, what a horrifying monster. It¡¯s almost as if it¡¯s gaining intelligence as it fights.¡±
That was not entirely impossible since Horas had written some monsters like that. But they were generally higher-level monsters that were only supposed to appear muchter.
Had he written the mantis-like that? Wasn¡¯t this too early in the timeline for such a thing to happen? Horas did not remember the mantis being that big of a threat in the real novel.
¡°Lucas, are you alright?¡±
Nash¡¯s loud yell vibrated the ce and Horas watched with wide eyes as Lucas was smacked down hard on the ground. There were a few broken bones that resulted due to the impact for sure.
The only condolence was that Lucas was not dead yet.
¡°Shit, stay away from him, you freak. How dare youe here and harm us like this.¡±
Nash was losing it from fear and her rational judgment was being impaired. She was attacking the mantis but the monster did not stop. its hard shell had no impact even when Nash tried her best.
It seemed to be thest day for Lucas.
¡°Darn it. I will take responsibility for my actionster. But no one else is dying on my watch.¡±
Instructor Harris decided that he could not take it anymore. He needed to save Lucas from his death and Horas felt the sudden bout of energy surrounding him.
The mantis also turned toward their direction, its ws raised in anger and fear as it changed directions.
A new threat had appeared and the mantis¡¯s attention was split toward this new target. It let out a terrifying yell as it charged toward instructor Harris.
¡°Sorry for the hassle kid, but looks like you are stuck with me for now.¡±
Instructor Harris apologized before he jumped high to avoid being crushed by the mantis. It seemed to stagger the mantis enough that it yelled in rage. Its prey had escaped its clutches.
The mantis had developed human intelligence but not enough to form all aspects of awareness. Instructor Harris used his sword to cleave the mantis shell cleanly and then burned him for good measure.
¡°Good riddance. I guess it was not a big deal after all.¡±
Instructor Harris boasted as he came down from his high. Around the group, the dungeon began to copse.
Due to a high adventurer¡¯s magic, the F-ss space could not handle it anymore and disintegrated into dust. All the monsters and their materials inside were reduced to ashes.
¡°Instructor, I think we caused a huge scandal. It will not affect our social score, right?¡±
Nash asked with a heavy heart but she seemed to have epted her fate already. They would all be fined for the copse of this dungeon, even Horas.
¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it. I will take care to exin this situation to the higher-ups somehow. You all just need to believe in me.¡±
Horas did not believe in instructor Harris and nothing could make him believe the elder man right now as well. They were all doomed.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
The dungeon association¡¯s office was quiet today. It was certainly a first for every buddy branch and the members could not help but question this sudden luck.
And that was why everyone was on edge right now. As a rule, such a period of calmness was generally apanied by something bad happening.
*Ringggggggggggggg*
No one was surprised when the rm started zing all of a sudden. The day would have been more unnerving had this rm not zed to like all of a sudden.
¡°Finally. It was about time for the rm to ze.¡±
¡°True. I was getting worried when the rm did not sound.¡±
¡°So, wanna bet what went wrong? I think it might be a sudden eruption of monsters. Or maybe it¡¯s an extraction because someone managed to chew more than they could bite?¡±
The branch busted out in gossip as soon as they got a chance to do so. The branch had gotten lively all of a sudden when the front door opened.
Everyone went quiet once again as section chief Samuel entered the base. He was a straightced person who did not enjoy bantering around and generally expected perfection from his employees.
In other words, he was a killjoy and everyone was on edge as soon as they noticed him entering.
¡°What is the matter with this rm?¡±
Section chief Samuel and no one replied. They had all forgotten to check up on the emergency since they were not emergencies most of the time.
Finally, an employee checked up on the situation and he went pale. Everyone else noticed this sudden quietness as well but they respected the section chief enough not to speak up when he was standing in front.
¡°S-Sir, it¡¯s a Code White. An F-ss dungeon is evolving and Instructor Harris put out a request for power release.¡±
Everyone was shocked at those words.
It was impossible odds for a Code White to happen, especially in a dungeon as low as F-ss. Those monsters were not aware enough to undergo evolution.
¡°S-Sir, I am afraid that the dungeon copsed due to instructor Harris¡¯s aura. What should we do now? We had requests for that dungeon pending.¡±
The section chief looked ticked off at his staff. He had invested a lot into that F-ss dungeon and now it was gone.
But he could not say anything in the face of a Code White situation.
¡°You all, stand back. I will take care of this situation myself and talk with Instructor Harris. Expect your sries to be cut in half this month.¡±
The employees wanted to reduce their section chief¡¯s words but they could not. They had messed up after all and they did not have enough authority.
¡°I knew I should have stayed at home today.¡±
An employee moaned out as he watched his bank ount shrink. He was in too much trouble this month and this cut in sry did not help. Maybe that was why people became viins.
Chapter 12 Ch 10: Making Decisions [Pt1]
?¡°W-What did you all do? The dungeon copsed? How did it copse all of a sudden? Do you know how much trouble I am? And so are all of you since you broke the rules.¡±
Their broker seemed shocked as he watched Instructor Harrise out of the copsed dungeon. The group had managed to exit in time before the gate copsed.
Otherwise, they would have gotten stuck inside the ruins of the copse and been dragged off to the demon world.
It had been only because of Instructor Harris¡¯s quick work and his strength as an A-ss adventurer that they managed to escape the clutches of a certain doom right now.
¡°Sorry Edward, the dungeon copsed. B-But we did not have much of a choice as you read. We would have died If I did not let go.¡±
Instructor Harris sounded nervous. He had sounded so confident before but he folded in front of real danger.
Horas felt surprised to see this but he calmed down once he thought about it. Instructor Harris was not at fault here but anyone would fold in front of an angry man.
¡°Yeah, I read the report and I cannot believe this dungeon turned into a Code White out of every other avable one. Do you know how big the loss is going to be because of this?¡±
Horas left the two to fight it out and he decided to check up on Lucas. Nash was carrying the taller man on her back and her face was drenched. It was a miracle that Lucas was even alive.
¡°Is Lucas alright?¡±
Horas flinched at the cliche question as well. He had asked a useless question since he could see that Lucas was not alright.
But Nash decided not t worry him too much. She tried to smile even when she did not feel like smiling at all. She was beyond exhausted at this point.
¡°Lucas is just going to be alright. You don¡¯t need to be worried about him since he¡¯s a sturdy man. He will be alright.¡±
Lucas coughed as he was hit in his chest by Nash. It had been a light smack but it had still left Lucas winded. But he was alive at least which was a good thing.
Horas wanted to rx but his body was full of adrenaline which caused him to stand on alert. And just when he finally managed to calm himself down, a calm but scary voice caused goosebumps to appear on Horas¡¯s arms.
¡°Instructor Harris, what caused you to evoke a Code White? And did you take a ¡®child¡¯ in the F-rank dungeon? Maybe you need a mental evaluation rather than saving.¡±
Instructor Harris looked embarrassed before but he straightened his back the next second. His face was smiling but Horas had a feeling that instructor Harris was not smiling right now.
¡°Section chief Samuel, what brings you here? I was informed that you did note today so I am a little surprised to see you.¡±
Section chief Samuel¡¯s face went closed at the jab but he did not get angry. Instead, he looked even more focused.
¡°How can I note when one of our ¡®customers¡¯ caused such a big incident? So, let¡¯s hear what happened.¡±
Section chief Samuel did not back down even when he was faced with Instructor Harris¡¯s full attention. Most people would have folded under a ss-A adventurer¡¯s re.
¡°Alright fine. An F-ss monster started evolving so we had to end things before someone died. I will provide you with the footage of itter. For now, can we let these kids get checked over? One of the is even injured.¡±
Section chiel Samuel looked mad that he had to stop but his calm face hide it all. Horas was too tired to even flinch when he was being looked at with such disdain.
In the end, the section chief decided to fold since there were too many eyes.
¡°Fine, take the kids away. But you and I will need to talk, instructor Harris. I cannot take so much loss due to the disappearance of the dungeon. I hope you understand.¡±
At that point, Horas decided to tune them out.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
¡°So you ended back here not within a week kid? That has to be a new record for the academy with so many injuries on the same day.¡±
Horas flinched as his back was bandaged by Lady Heals. They all had been rushed back to the academy for treatment since it would be cheaper to the dungeon association than a private hospital with the same facilities.
¡°Sorry, I did not think I would end up here so soon as well.¡±
Horas felt sorry for Lady Heals. It seemed like she was truly busy today and their group had added to the burden.
They were currently housed in a private room since themon facility was filled with regr students. The regr session had started a day before and everyone was trying to outdo each other.
¡°Nah kid, not your fault. No one could have seen the Code Whiteing so don¡¯t me yourself uselessly.¡±
Lady Heals consoled Horas and he finally rxed in the bed.
Not that he got too long to rx since the private section door was banged open by Mark with a pained expression. The man looked like he was on too much caffeine and was hardly capable of walking straight.
And he was currentlying right at Horas with a thunderous expression that melted into one of relief as soon as it registered that Horas was alright.
¡°Man, I cannot believe you had such a big incident happen on your first dungeon outing. You should have waited a little more before branching out and trying something this tough.¡±
Mark had an embarrassed expression on his face as he scolded Horas. But anyone could see that his scolding was more because of worry than real anger.
¡°Alright Mark, you can take your charge home if you are done scolding him now. I don¡¯t think I can help him any more than this.¡±
Lady Heals made a round back because of all the loud noises she heard and she instantly stumbled upon the scene which made herugh. Mark might have grown up but he was still like a kid inside.
And it was still difficult for the man to express himself. Every time he tried, it ended up as failure which caused a lot of pain and suffering for him.
¡°Sarah, stop talking to me in that superior tone. It pisses me off when you do. And Horas, wipe that smirk off your face. We are going back now.¡±
Mark seemed incapable of speaking anything else so he quietened down. Horas wanted to stop himself fromughing so badly but Mark¡¯s expression was just too funny.
In the end, Horas was picked up and Mark rushed past the side beds.
¡°Bye Horas. Take care of yourself, kid. I will keep you updated on Lucas¡¯s recovery.¡±
Instructor Harris spoke from the bed he had been forced into by Lady Heals while Nash pretended like Horas did not exist.
Mark¡¯s blush did not go down until they were out of the room. Only once they were in theb and Horas was put down did Mark even look him in the face.
¡°Hey kid, I forgot to ask you but are you alright? You are not hurt somewhere, right?¡±
Mark looked embarrassed beyond belief as he asked this question.
¡°Yeah, I am alright this time. Thanks for asking me this.¡±
Mark might be the first adult in his life to ask Horas this question and Horas felt just a little touched but the man because of this. But only a tiny bit.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
Inside Principal Marble¡¯s room, she could not help but sigh as she looked at the report in front of her. It seemed like such a coincidence that the dungeon had started evolving all of a sudden.
And then there was this irritating man in front of her, trying to get a raise out of her by angering her.
¡°Principal Marble, so how is Horas doing? I hope he is not giving you any trouble. I am so happy to tell you that we finally managed to get Howard settled with a nice family as well.¡±
Principal Marble looked at Jake Hollow¡¯s happy profile in front of her. His innocent face made one think that he did not know anything. But in reality, Jack Hollow¡¯s powers were terrifying and he could find out all kinds of information.
It would not be too big of a stretch to say that he knew what happened to Horas today.
¡°Horas is alright. He¡¯s currently under Mark, our technical staff and Mark says he¡¯s got real talent in the field.¡±
There was finally a crack in Jack Hollow¡¯s mask. He looked a little ticked off as he heard the words but he soon went back to his smiley face.
¡°Ah, I see. But I think Horas Spencer would be better off as an attacker since both his parents were attackers, right?¡±
Jack Hollow tried to make it seem like he was not hinting at anything but Principal Marble could see his intentions as clear as the day.
Jack Hollow was a piece of shit to push kids into the adventurer business this early but Principal, Marble had her hands tied together in front of him.
...................
Chapter 13 Ch 11: Making Decisions [Pt2]
?¡°I understand what you are saying when you ask us to train Horas. He indeed has the innate talent of both his parents but I don¡¯t agree with how you are approaching this topic. Horas Spencer is still too young to be pushed into this world.¡±
Principal Marble knew she was at a disadvantage but she had to make her point known. Jack Hollow was a man who had a n but no one knew what he was thinking.
¡°Ah, I see. So even a cold demon like you feelspassionate for a kid you have taken under your wing.¡±
Principal Marble did not find the way Jack¡¯s tone even a single bit relieving. He was not interested in her rtionship with Horas, but rather, in how he could use it to his advantage.
¡®Calm down Marble. There is no use getting angry at a scum who had an upper hand. I cannot let it show how I truly feel.¡¯
¡°Think what you might but I am not in the mood to entertain you today. Hurry up and say what you want to say and leave.¡±
Principal Marble was getting annoyed by Jack Hollow now. He not only dared toe in here and make a fool of her, but he was also trying to unnerve her in her territory.
And she, for one, will not stand for it. Let it be known that principal Marble did not fold easily in front of the advisory.
¡°Huh? Why are you looking at me like I am a devil? I don¡¯t want much from you. I just want to take Horas to see his brother since it¡¯s been a while. I am sure that the kid misses Howard Spencer as well.¡±
Principal Marble had no refusal to give Jack Hollow this time. It was a good idea for Horas to meet his brother and to ensure that his brother was alright.
Especially since they were both too young, it would be easy for them to drift away and forget that the other existed.
Principal Marble was sure that there was a reason Jack Hollow was suggesting this. And it was not because of his heart¡¯s goodness that he was offering this.
There has to be another reason behind this.
¡°Jack Hollow, just because I cannot see the angle you are ying at does not mean I trust you. But for now, I will allow my charge to go with you.¡±
Principal Marble hoped that she would not regret her decision in the future as she handed themand over to Jack. And the man smiled at trump as he got what he wanted.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, Principal Marble. I will take care of my golden goose well.¡±
¡¡¡¡¡¡..
Horas had a bad feeling ever since he had woken up that day. He felt like there was a stone rolling in the pit of his stomach and there was also an itch in the back of his head.
¡°What¡¯s wrong kid? Do you feel sick? Do you need me to ring the doctor for you?¡±
Mark poked his head inside Horas¡¯s room, only to see the kid look disorganized and out of it the whole time. Horas was trying to pay attention, but his brain was zoning out the whole time.
¡°Horas, are you alright? You are beginning to look sick. Maybe we should rush you into emergency and -¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m alright. I just woke upte so I am feeling dizzy.¡±
The more awake Horas felt the more he could shake off the uneasiness he was feeling. A child had scary intuitions and Horas was no different in that regard.
¡°Alright, if you say so. In that case, can you help me with something today? I packed the most-¡± *ringgggg*
Mark was cut off for the second time that day by the phone ringing.
It was a surprising event since physical phones were a thing of the past and only fancy people used them. And Eseper¡¯s academy was nothing if not fancy. So of course it had hand-held phones.
¡°Hello, Mark speaking. How may I help you out?...... Ah, Principal Marble, it¡¯s nice to hear from you as well.¡±
Now that Mark had gotten busy with his phone call, Horas knew it was time to wake himself fully. He needed to get himself together somehow and face the day.
Horas¡¯s bad feelings became even worse when he noticed the unnatural silence around the room. Mark was not usually talkative but he at least made some kind of noise.
This silence was not promoting good feelings inside Horas.
And his bad feeling turned out to be true when Mark entered the room back. He had a pinched expression on his face as he looked at Horas and that was how Horas knew it was going to be bad news for him.
¡°Now, before you jump to conclusions, it¡¯s not as bad as you think it is.¡±
¡°Lay the news on me, old man. I am sure I can take it.¡±
¡°First of all, I am not old so don¡¯t call me old. I am only 21 years old. And second, Principal Marble said she wants to see you. Jack Hollow is here and he wants to take you to see your brother.¡±
If Horas had been older, he would have raised his eyebrow to ask why this was such bad news.
While Horas might not have remembered that he had a brother now, he was quick enough to realize that Jack Hollow was doing him a favor.
But the look on Mark¡¯s face said that he did not like what he had heard.
¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t like Jake Hollow. He¡¯s a treacherous man who only thinks about himself. I don¡¯t know what he will do to a kid like you if I allow you to go with him alone.¡±
Mark had an annoyed look on his face. He did not like the news of Horas going alone with a man like Jack Hollow. Even adults did not like to deal with Jack Hollow since he was an ambitious man.
But it was Principal Marble¡¯s order and he did not want to have a conflict with her.
Horas did not reply to Mark¡¯s worry but his bad feeling seemed to be worsening by the second. He was afraid that something bad would happen once he went out with Jack.
¡®I should just get ready to face the music now. The faster I get to Principal Marble¡¯s office, the faster I will be able to put an end to my anxiety.
¡¡¡¡¡¡..
It turned out that Horas¡¯s bad feeling did not go away as he approached Principal Marble¡¯s room. It just got worse as Horas¡¯s foot crossed the threshold of the room.
¡°Principal Marble, we are both here. Sorry, we are a littlete, but Horas wanted to have breakfast beforeing here.¡±
Horas wanted to defend himself and tell them the truth - it had been Mark who caused them to bete. But he was going to be the bigger guy and not say anything about it.
¡°I can see that you both are here so there is no need for you to be this loud in front of me. Hurry up and take your ce, Mark. and Horas, you can leave with Jack now if it is alright with you.¡±
Horas looked toward Jack, who had already stood up to walk out. He has his coat and everything on as well to leave now.
The man had an ambiguous smile on his face as he walked toward Horas with his exaggerated footsteps. He wanted to make his presence known to everyone.
¡°Horas, it¡¯s nice to meet you so soon again. I heard about what happened to you from Principal Marble and I wanted to make you feel better. So how about we go and meet your brother? I¡¯m sure he missed you as well.¡±
Horas very much doubted that his one-year-old brother had missed him. Children that young tend to forget people quickly.
Not to mention, this man always had an alternative objective for whatever he did. That was how Horas had written this man to be.
Jack Hollow had been an intriguing character to read and write about, but he was a downright terrifying one to meet in real life. Especially when you were stuck in the body of a helpless child.
¡®I just need to smile and go along with it. I just need to ensure my nervousness for a few hours.¡¯
¡°You are taking me to meet my brother? Where is Howard? Is he alright?¡±
Horas remembered being an only child for most of his life. But the instincts of being a sibling came naturally to him. He could not help but be certain that the feelings he was experiencing belonged to the body he was upying.
Jack looked taken aback by Horas¡¯s strong front and questioning. His eyes shed with calctions before his business smile was stered on his face again.
¡°Why, of course, Howard is alright. Since your brother is so young, I had to find a caring couple for him. You should meet him once to make yourself feel at ease.¡±
Horas wished he could not care about Howard Spencer, but that seemed to be impossible.
Howard Spencer was not only the brother of his current body but also the end product of all his attention at one time. Horas has attached to him anyway so it was toote to worry about it.
Chapter 14 Ch 12: The Seer Range [Pt1]
?Despite Mark¡¯s look of disapproval and the uneasy look, Principal Marble gave the pair, both Horas and Jack left the Esper¡¯s academy.
Horas was led to Jack¡¯s car but it was a different one from thest time. It was far less luxurious and a lot more used inparison to thest one. But even this one felt well-loved and gave Horas a warm feeling.
¡°Are you looking at my car? This beauty here is my ex and I decided to finally take it out today. I love cars so much but they get outdated so soon. It¡¯s best to move on when you no longer need something, right?¡±
Jack¡¯s words were spoken in an ambiguous tone which betrayed his real thoughts. Horas had a feeling he was not talking about cars but human rtionships when he made thatparison.
¡®What a cold and heartless man. Even calling this car his ex he took pity on.¡¯
Horas got into the car without much question. He was worried that he would be questioned by Jack if he showed an abnormal understanding of his words.
¡°Buckle your seatbelt tight, kiddo because we will be going fast. Before we get to your brother, there is another ce I want to visit with you. Remember kid, there is nothing like free lunch in this world.¡±
¡°Wait, what? Lunch-¡±
Jack¡¯s foot rested on the car elerator the second Horas buckled his seat belt and then they were zooming off. Horas¡¯s heart was in his throat the entire ride as he tried to hold his scream in.
There were some moments when Horas was sure that they were about to collide with another car. He even closed his eyes, expecting the impact toe. But Jack somehow managed to avoid it every time.
In the end, they both got out of the car in front of a small mountain range alive (somehow) and Horas finally got a second to rest his heart.
¡°Where are we?¡±
Horas questioned as he looked up. The mountain range did not look familiar to him.
[[[Location name: Seer range.
A mountain range filled with precious herbs. But be careful because it is guarded by ferocious beasts from beyond.
Danger level: D ss]]]
¡®Seer range? Isn¡¯t this the cheat ce I created for the protagonist to find his first hidden power? Why did Jack Hollow bring me to such a dangerous ce?¡¯
Why such a dangerous ce? Why in the world had Jack brought Horas to such a dangerous ce?
¡°This is Seer Range, a D-ss dungeon-like environment. Don¡¯t look so shaken since you have me with you. I will not let anything happen to you as long as you stay with me.¡±
¡®Yeah, that¡¯s the problem. I feel like you would abandon me the first chance you get.¡¯
Horas¡¯s mind was filled with dark thoughts but he kept calm and patient. He needed to keep his inner voice inside his mind for the time being.
¡°What are we doing here? Is there something you need from this ce, mister Jack?¡±
Horas wanted to gag as he spoke those words. They did not sound naturaling out of his lips and he was disturbed to see Jack¡¯s smile brighten when he looked at the mountain.
¡°I guess you could say that ¡®you¡¯ are looking for something. You want to see your brother but you can¡¯t go there empty-handed, right? That is why we are going to look for a grass called Miracle seed.¡±
Horas was slowly beginning to draw it all together. Miracle Seed was a type of herb that could boost a child¡¯s potential but it was also a double-edged sword.
It grew together with another nt called Devil¡¯s snare and they both looked simr to each other. It was often easy for even experts to confuse them.
Now, consuming either the Miracle Seed or the Devil Snare would not cause much of a problem for adults. But it was different for small children.
Horas had written such a story in the protagonist¡¯s background to cause conflict for him.
One day, the protagonist received a rare nt called Miracle Seed from an unknown source and he decided to eat it. But just as he is about to eat it, another child in his daycare steals it and eats it.
But the nt the protagonist received had not been a Miracle Seed but a devil¡¯s snare which causes the other child to be critically ill. And the poor protagonist gets med for everything that happened.
To atone for his mistakes, the protagonist decided to serve that ill mistress for as long as she does not get better.
And that is how the bullied childhood of the protagonist starts. And it is also how we meet the protagonist¡¯s first harem member - that young and ill but rich master known as Emma Dew.
¡®No way. I don¡¯t think I ever wrote who sent that nt to the protagonist but can it be? Did Horas Spencer was the one to send that nt? It happenedter in the story as well so why did the events change?¡¯
Horas could feel a small headache develop as he thought more and more about his situation. There were too many things not making sense.
But worst of all, the future seemed to be changing at a rapid rate.
If this continues, then won¡¯t the future change from the one Horas knew about? What if the viins ended up winning? Or the dungeons ended up taking over the world?
¡°Horas, hurry up. Don¡¯t you want to see your brother again?¡±
¡®Maybe it will be better if I don¡¯t meet my brother again.¡¯
It was a selfish wish Horas could not help but entertain. After all, nothing would happen to Howard Spencer if he did not receive the Devil¡¯s snarl. He might even get to live a decent childhood.
¡®Then again, I have no evidence that nothing would happen even if I don¡¯t send the nt.¡¯
Since Horas finally made a decision, he took a step toward the Sneer range. Since he was here, he might as well go the whole way.
And maybe, just maybe he will swipe the hidden powerup that the protagonist was not able to get himself. It would certainly help him out with a tone. And since it belonged to cannon fodder anyway, Horas might as well put it to good use.
Horas did not have a solid idea about what this ¡®extra¡¯ hidden power was since the cannon fodder died too early, but he wanted to try to gain it anyway.
¡°Before we go up the mountain range, I will give you a quick rundown of what kind of creatures you should avoid and which ones are safe. Make sure you pay attention.¡±
Horas did not think how odd it was for Jack Hollow to do this until he was down with the lecture and following after the man.
What kind of five-year-old would remember this much information and manage to retain it? They did not have such an impressive attention span.
¡®So, does Jack Hollow want to kill me? Or just use me? I don¡¯t understand this man.¡¯
Despite having written Jack Hollow, Horas could not evene near to understanding him. This man was an enigma to even the author of the story.
Horas tried to keep up with Jack but it became apparent quickly that Jack was not intending to follow Horas¡¯s pace. The adult man quickly disappeared from Horas¡¯s vision and into the mountain.
¡®I had a feeling this would happen sooner orter. So, should I start looking around now?¡¯
Horas knew about the hidden ¡®cheat¡¯ that was located on this mountain range but even he did not know the exact location.
He had just mentioned that the extra found the cheat inside an old chest in a cave near the river valley. But Horas had no clue where these ces were.
Horas had a map he could read but he had no idea where he currently was. So the map was useless to him and his small legs would not be able to clear bigger boulders.
¡®First of all, I should look around and see where I am. Then, I can make a n about where I should head next.¡¯
Horas was not worried about being left behind by Jack Hollow. Many did not know it, but Jack Hollow¡¯s ability to collect information was not a talent, but rather a skill. It was a mana skill that could help him find anything.
Be it information, people, or location. As long as the required price did not cross the mana amount Horas had, he could find it. And that was what made him such an efficient person to be on your team.
¡®Well, I am sure that Horas will be able to find me once he decides toe for me.¡¯
Horas had just made his decision when he felt the bush rustle behind him. Horas was instantly on alert once he noticed the noise. This forest had a lot of dangerous creatures after all.
The bush parted and came out a small and fluffy animal. It was cute with its red eyes and ck fur. It looked like a rabbit, small and fluffy enough to steal anyone¡¯s heart.
But Horas held his scream in as soon as he noticed the small creature.
¡®Fucked. I am so fucked.¡¯
Chapter 15 Ch 13: The Seer Range [Pt2]
?Horas looked at the small and cute abomination in front of him with sweat running down his face. He was so fucked that he could not even speak about it right now.
He needed to make sure no noise exited his lips if he wanted to live. As long as the small rabbit did not notice him, he would be alright.
This small and cute animal in front of him was called a Vampire Rabbit. Its characteristic feature was its ck shiny fur, its ruby-red eyes, and its sharp fangs that could pierce one apart rather easily.
These small and cute creatures were one of the worst predators in this environment and their primary diet consisted of blood. Once they sink their fangs into a creature, they did not let go.
But worst of all, they have heard animals. If there was one of them, there would be more nearby. Horas had somehow managed tond himself near a nest of such dangerous creatures.
¡®I need to be quiet and sneaky. I cannot let myself get caught by them. I need to live a long and healthy life.¡¯
Horas held his breath as he took a step back and then another. He finally made it out of the vampire rabbit¡¯s range and he made a stupid mistake. He breathed in relief and he allowed his body to rx.
Big mistake on Horas¡¯s part because he failed to notice the other vampire rabbit nearby. And this one was staring right at Horas as he backed away.
Ruby red eyes met Horas¡¯s blue ones and the child knew what he had to do.
¡®Run for your life. I need to run away.¡¯
Behind him, the small rabbit finally let out a war cry and ran after Horas. It was soon joined by other rabbits and they were all following after Horas.
The only silver lining in this situation was that these vampire rabbits were rather slow in catching up. Despite having small legs and limited stamina, Horas was able to outrun them.
But then he nicked himself on a branch and it caused a small but bleeding wound. It would attract the vampire rabbits¡¯ sharp noses.
¡®I need to get away from them or all my blood will be sucked dry.¡¯
Horas kept on running until he heard another, louder road from behind him. He quickly turned back and his back rested on a rocky surface.
The vampire rabbits had stopped running as well, now looking at Horas in morbid excitement but noting closer. And it was all because of the liger on his other side.
Liger was the only predator these vampire rabbits had and the only thing they feared. Their only advantage was theirrge numberpared to the liger in front of them.
There was currently a stare-off going between both sides and Horas had a feeling it was because of him. Both sides wanted to eat him but no side wanted to advance.
Finally, the liger took a step forward and Horas pressed himself even further into the rock behind him. The rock wobbled and then Horas felt his body falling through a small crack.
Thest thing he saw was the liger jumping toward him but Horas fell down the hole before the liger¡¯s sharp ws could shred him into pieces.
Horas had managed to somehow survive this situation but not without a lot of injuries. His ribs hurt, and he was sure he had also managed to break a few bones in the process.
¡®A-At least I am alive?¡¯
But was the pain worth it?
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
Jack Hollow made his way up the Seer mountain at his regr speed. He was well aware that he had lost Horas Spencer a while ago in his hurry.
Initially, he had not wanted to take a small kid here but he had changed his mind when his eyes fell on Horas Spencer again. That kid gave off a weird aura when Jack looked at him.
It had not always been like that. Initially, Jack had only been interested in Howard Spencer, the younger of his *former* employer¡¯s children. The younger brother had an innate talent like never seen before.
If cultivated right, the child would grow up to be the best adventurer there ever was, even surpassing his parent''s fame and reputation.
Compared to him, the elder brother was born rather ordinary and no one paid much attention to him. But something seemed to have changed during the funeral for the former number 1 and 2 adventurers.
And that was when Jack Hollow developed an interest in the child. That was also why he had brought the kid here with him.
He wanted to see what would happen if he left the kid alone for some time. Would the kid be able to survive? Or would he be a failure to invest?
Of course, Jack kept an eye on the kid while they were separated and he watches as the kid faced the vampire rabbits and a liger. It was time to save the kid.
But just when Jack Hollow made up his decision, something happened. His connection to the kid was cut off and Jack could no longer see the kid¡¯s location.
This was not the first time this had happened but it was surprising. It made Jack surprised and he lost his focus. The liger in front of him took advantage of his distracted status to attack him.
Jack got a bleeding arm but he managed to attack the liger back and kill it. But that did not ease up the distributed feeling he was having inside his mind.
¡®Tsk, such a disappointment. I will have to change my ns now.¡¯
Jack needed to go and find Horas now. The kid was his responsibility and Jack did not want to tarnish his wless record. He could not afford to lose custody of Howard Spencer just because something happened to his elder brother.
So Jack took a turn back and went after Horas Spencer. He would get the kid back and then decide what to do next.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
Horas felt a sharp pain in his arm when he tried to move it. He did not want to say that it was broken, but it seemed like a possibility.
He looked up at the huge cliff-like opening he had fallen through and felt thankful that he only seemed to have a fracture.
¡°But where did I end up falling into? I don¡¯t think I know what this ce is.¡±
The cave needed to be better lit but it had enough light to see around. It was filled with big red fungus-like things which turned out to be nts of some kind.
[[[Specie name : Cockb
Harmless nts only grow in a tough environment.]]]
Horas tried his best not to touch the delicate-looking flowers and nts all around him but it was difficult to do.
He needed to move if he wanted to get out of the cave but it hurt if he moved around too much. He needed a way to keep his arm from moving around too much.
¡®I am not getting any signal here. I can¡¯t even call Jack Hollow for help. I hope he realizes that I am in danger andes for me.¡¯
But who knew how long it would take for Jack Hollow to notice that Horas was in trouble? He could not rely on that useless adult in this situation.
Thankfully, Horas had one thing going for him - his thorough preparations.
Mark was a paranoid man and he had forced Horas to carry an emergency kit after his first dungeon mission. It was finallying in handy.
But since Horas was alone it would not be possible to bandage his arm alone. He would have to take some extreme measures to ensure he made it out alive.
¡®I never thought I would have to take this potion so soon.¡¯
Horas gulped down the numbing potion and breathed a sigh of relief when it started working.
The numbing potion he had taken was made for extreme cases and it shut down your body¡¯s pain receptors. It was dangerous to rely on since one usually overestimated their limit once they took it.
And Horas was amazed at the working of the potion. He could not feel the pain in his arm but he could feel the way it was dislocated when he tried to move it.
¡®I need to stop observing myself and start moving. I wish I had a map to show me the way out.¡¯
But there was no signal in this cave. And Horas doubted that he would be able to get a map even if he had signaled in his phone. This cave off a weird feeling.
It became evident why Horas was feeling this way when he walked a little more toward the center of the cave. He was beginning to link this cave to the one he had written before briefly.
Finally, he managed to find the cave with the hidden cheat located in it. Now he only needed to find the hidden cheat before his timer ran out and he was no longer able to move.
Did he forget to mention the side effect of the pain-numbing potion? It made one immobile once it wore off. So unless he wanted to be fucked, he needed to hurry.
Chapter 16 Ch 14: The Hidden Doctor
?¡®Light was reflected off the beautiful blue in the middle of the cave. Its beauty was only enchased by the glow of that red field that surrounded it. The ce where I got my power is beyond beautiful.
And now, it¡¯s time for you all to fear this power of mine as well.¡¯
Horas looked at the same red field he had written about in his novel before. He could understand why someone would consider this ce beautiful or even divine.
This far away from human civilization, the smallke was crystal clear and its clean waters sparkled when the light hit it. But Horas was not here to observe beauty so he shook his head and focused.
¡®The hidden power is somewhere here. I need to find it before anyone else can find it.¡¯
Horas had not written a general timeline of when the ¡®side character¡¯ had gotten his power. It could have been years ago so there was a chance that Horas was wasting his time whileing here.
But he had decided to take his chances.
¡®There is only one ce where the power can be. I will need to head into the water.¡¯
Theke was not deep and the water would onlye up to an adult man¡¯s knees. But it was too high for Horas¡¯s current body so he will have to be careful.
Not to mention, the effects of the potion he had consumed were starting to wear off already. The brief instance of pain he felt was enough for Horas to estimate that he had about five minutes left on the clock.
He needed to take the risk.
Horas walked slowly into the water and an invisible force pushed him back. It was hard keeping hold of his position with such strong winds pushing Horas back.
The pain in his limbs was increasing in volume now and his hand even hit something solid in front of him. The water was starting to get colder as well and Horas shivered as a result.
There was a dim glow beneath the water. It wasing from a golden-colored ball of energy but it was barely visible and could not be sensed. It was too well hidden and one could tell where the protective mana had focused on.
Everything was pushing him back but Horas was determined to get hold of the power. He pressed against the shield in front of him and felt it gets squeezed. The barrier was not strong.
¡®I can do this. If I can shoot once, then I can-¡¯
It was a foolish thought. Horas had already fucked up his arm once and his body would not be able to take another blow.
But Horas¡¯s brain did not work at the moment. He was too high on the pain-numbing potion and ended up shooting with his recovered mana.
Pain shot up Horas¡¯s arm just as the barrier gave in. His hand reached out to the glowing orb in the water which was difficult to see.
Despite Horas¡¯s utter exhaustion, he reached out for the glowing ball and felt his hand sp around it. He had managed to acquire the skill but it had taken everything out of him.
Horas¡¯s body fell face-forward into the old water and he tried to stand. But not only his hand moved when he tried to move it. His whole body was a big ball of pain.
A real five-year-old might have died by now. Their psychology was not made to take this much abuse and especially not quite as often.
But Horas was an adult in mind and body. He could survive it a little longer if it meant he would get to live.
¡°Darn it kid. Do you want to get me in trouble with your death? What the hell did you do to get yourself so fucked?¡±
Finally, Jack Hollow arrived on the scene and fished Horas out of the water. He looked intrigued more than pissed off at Horas¡¯s current condition. His eyes looked Horas up and down with a disgusting glint.
But it was because Horas recognized that glint that he was sure that he would survive today. Jack Hollow would make sure he lived and that was certainly relief-filling for him.
Horas tried to open his mouth to speak but his body ended up betraying him again. But it only seemed to have excited Jack more.
¡°It¡¯s alright kid, you don¡¯t need to speak. You can save your exnation forter, alright? Let¡¯s get you fixed up for now so that we can keep our appointment, alright?¡±
Horas tried to speak up but his mouth refused to cooperate. His body was in such a tough situation that Horas felt his mind shut down with sleep. And it helped to know that he would be alright in the end.
Sleep came easy to him and it was sweet as well.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
Jack Hollow looked at the kid he had just saved and felt a smallugh bubble in his throat.
What a nutcase he had brought with him. No other kid would have even thought of taking a numbing potion to keep on moving once injured.
Heck, most adults did not take up such dangerous tasks if they had any other options avable. It was an end-of-the-mill option for most.
And this kid knew that he had backup avable. The kid knew he had Jack Hollow looking for him but Horas had still decided to go ahead and take the numbing potion to keep on progressing.
The kid had also been trying to grasp something in the water when Jack had found him but that was a different case. Jack would find what it had beenter from the kid anyway.
¡°Let¡¯s get you patched up kid. Principal Marble would tear me a new one if she got to know what happened to you. I might never get to see you again, so let¡¯s keep it our little secret.¡±
Horas was knocked out loud but Jack knew the kid would keep quiet about what happened here.
Jack had a lot of ways to make peoplee to his side and not all of them were honorable. A kid this young would be easy to manipte emotionally and form attachments with. Once there, the kid would be Jack¡¯s biggest advocate.
¡°I want to use your younger brother for his immense future strength but I guess I won¡¯t mind investing in your guts as well kid. Consider yourself lucky for having gained Jack Hollow¡¯s interest.¡±
Had Horas been aware to hear these words, he would have shivered in fright. But he was not awake and that ended the conversation.
Jack drove off quickly from the mountain range and toward the shabby downtown where his trusted doctor resided. It was the best ce to make sure no news about his doings leaked to Principal Marble and herpany.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
In the slums of the city, there was only one ce of hope everyone knew they needed to go to if they needed secrecy.
Everyone that if you wanted to be treated discreetly, there was only one person you could go to - Doctor Hope. he might live in a run-down and shabby establishment and he might not have enough money, but he knew how to treat wounds properly.
Not only that, Doctor Hope did not discriminate between good and bad people. He treated anyone who could afford to pay him.
But naturally, the ¡®good¡¯ adventurers never visited this man in broad daylight. They did not think of him as an ethical man after all.
So Dcotor Hopes, also known as Old man Rancer felt his heart leap up in his throat as his door was banged harshly and in entered a known person.
¡°Holy, you almost gave me a heart attack Jack. What¡¯s your emergency this time? Did you have a broken bone you cannot show in the public? Or did your tongue turn blue again due to some weird experiment? Or did you-holy, is that a kid? Did you finally kill a kid?¡±
Old man Rancher was old-looking and his face was filled with wrinkles. He was a man who was truly old and wise, having seen his fair share of troubles in his youth.
Since he had been such an oddball in the past, he had finally decided to settle down and make a difference.
He was someone who treated everyone equally and had no discrimination in his heart. That was why anyone could approach him without failure.
¡°I did not kill anyone, old man. Do you see me as such a deplorable guy who would threaten kids for my profit?¡±
There was silence in the room after Jack finished speaking, Even Old man Rancer knew his true self and Jack knew better than to question him.
¡°Anyway, never mind that. Just make sure this kid is alright and I will pay you to doubt the usual amount. And make sure to keep your mouth shut about this.¡±
Old man Rancher knew that nothing good wille out of working with Jack Hollow. This man was beyond saying and now he had finally dragged a kid into his world.
Old man Rancher had nothing but sympathy for this kid. And that was why he agreed to treat the kid Jack had brought in with him.
Chapter 17 Ch 15: The Orphanage [Pt1]
?¡°I did what I could for the kid so I hope you are happy Jack. but despite my best wishes, I don¡¯t think the kid will survive for long if you keep dragging him around like this. His body is too torn up for a kid his age.¡±
Never before had Doctor Heals seen a worse case of mental and physical exhaustion in someone who was not trained to take it.
Not only had the kid broken bones and bruised ribs, but he had also taken a pain-numbing potion and made his condition worse. It was a miracle that the kid made it back alive and sane.
¡°You worry too much Old man. This kid may look fragile but he¡¯s a tough cookie to crack. He¡¯ll be up and running before you know it.¡±
¡°Only because I patched the kid up.¡± sigh ¡°I can see that nothing I will say can convince you otherwise so I will save my breath. Now get your butt out of my office before you are tracked down.¡±
Old man Rancher was interested in the kid. But his curiosity did not outweigh his instinct to survive and live a free life.
It was dangerous to interact with a man like Jack Hollow but the old doctor also knew he had no other choice. It was impossible to hide from Jack Hollow¡¯s eyes.
¡°Well, thanks for the help, old man. Oh, can you also give a mild pain-numbing potion to the kid? I cannot have him showing an ufortable expression today.¡±
A normal doctor would have preached about ethics and refused to give this kid another numbing potion.
Not only were they bad for mental health but they also stunned physical development. It would not be the best option avable for this kid to get a potion in his current condition.
That was what the old doctor thought in his mind even as he prepared a small bottle and emptied it into the kid¡¯s unconscious mouth.
¡°Thanks, old man. I will make sure to keep your secret and protect this little ce of yours. Although, it would be nice if a talented doctor like you returned as well.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve heard enough of you, Jack Hollow. You got what you wanted so scam now. Never let me see your face again.¡±
Jack picked up Horas¡¯s body and left the small establishment. He knew that Horas would heal in a few hours and that was just enough time for them to reach their final destination - the facility he had left Howard Spencer in.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
Horas felt his body ache when he woke up but it was a dull ache. His limbs did not feel a part of his body and it was easy to move around.
¡°Don¡¯t push your luck kid. I had the good doctor give you painkillers but it¡¯ll take some time for you to heal. But man, you created a mess for yourself. You ended up disappearing on me and then even got hurt. You don¡¯t know how disappointed I am in you.¡±
Horas wanted to give Jack the middle finger but he held himself back.
¡°Are we there yet? I don¡¯t think I can move my body.¡±
Horasined as he tried and failed to move his arm around. The numbness was a gift since Horas could not move around a lot right now. It reduced the pain he felt.
What was worse? Jack Hollow was currently trying to emotionally manipte Horas into epting him as a reliable guardian. The ¡®I¡¯m so disappointed¡¯ card would have worked on a normal child.
¡®Then again, I have no one to tell all this to. People will start looking into my business if Iin too much.¡±
¡°Kid, we are finally here. You should be able to move around in a few minutes as well. Now, remember what we talked about before and everything will be alright. You just need to believe in me.¡±
¡®Yeah right. I have no intention of believing you in my life. Why did I write you to be like this?¡¯
After nearly four hours of struggle, Yohan was finally able to move around a little bit. The pain was non-existing as well which meant that the potion had finally started kicking in.
Jack noticed Horas rx and then he pounced on the kid.
¡°Alright, looks like you have recovered enough to get out of the car and finally meet your brother. But make sure to be mindful of your injuries.¡±
Jack Hollow opened the side door and Horas hurried out. He did not feel safe being in the same space as Jack Hollow and his cunning ass.
The elder man went up to the modest-looking house and knocked on the door. They waited a while before a gentle-looking woman opened the door.
¡°Hello, who is there? O-Oh, Mr. Hollow, you are back so soon? Are you here to check up on your charge?¡±
The kind and gentle woman held the door open in an inviting manner which Jack seemed to be used to. And then her eyes moved over to Horas and the woman flinched. She looked ufortable to see Horas there.
¡°Don¡¯t worry Julie, I am not here to dump another kid on your orphanage when I know you are struggling financially. This is Horas here, Howard¡¯s elder brother. He¡¯s just here for a visit.¡±
Juile still looked ufortable standing in front of Jack but her manner eased just a little bit once she learned that Yohan was not here to stay.
The orphanage looked nice and clean from the outside but Horas had written it as a somewhat horrible ce for kids. There was ack of funding for this ce most of the time and children were in and out all the time.
Howard had gotten somewhat lucky to be adopted by this gentle Julie but she had notsted long. That had been the second tragedy of little Howard¡¯s life.
¡°O-Oh, Howard¡¯s brother? Then, are you here to take the kid away?¡±
Juile sounded disappointed. It seems that she had already gotten attached to the kid she had been caring for.
¡°Sorry Julie, but that won¡¯t be possible right now. I¡¯m afraid that you are stuck with the kid for some time more.¡±
Julie looked relieved and then embarrassed to be relieved. She quickly turned her back to not show her reaction but Horas had noticed her panic.
¡°I-I will go and bring Howard here. You all can wait around here for a bit?¡±
Julie hurriedly made her way out to not embarrass herself further. Her flushed face was turning paler as she considered what she had almost done and how she had behaved.
¡°She¡¯s a charming woman, right? Looks like Juile had been charmed by your younger brother.¡±
Horas looked at Jack with a deadpan expression. He did not like the implications of Jack¡¯s words, even if they were beyond innocent right now. Anything could sound dirty if you put your mind to it.
¡®No, don¡¯t think about it. I do not need those images in my mind.¡¯
Well, Horas might have made it seem like Howard had a little crush on Julie in the original book but Julie had also been killed off pretty early. Now seeing the same person in front of him rushing around was surreal.
¡°...¡±
¡°What¡¯s wrong Horas? Did you have a little crush on Lady Julie as well? But you should not because Julie is too old for you.¡±
Jack tried to invoke more emotions from Horas but he remained calm. He did not show it on his face that he was getting annoyed with Jack Hollow.
And just when Jack decided to annoy Horas by touching his cheek, Julie came back with Spencer in her hands and Jack rightened himself.
¡°You are lucky that Howard is awake right now. I am d you are here because Howard seemed to have missed you a lot.¡±
Julie presented Howard to Horas and he hesitated in reaching out. He did not know how to handle children and Horas was also small right now. There was a real chance that he might drop the baby.
Julie understood Horas¡¯s hesitation and patted the seat at her side for Horas to sit. Horas hesitated before he took the seat and Howard was ced in his arms.
¡°You know, I was so surprised when I saw Howard for the first time. He¡¯s a well-behaved kid but he never fusses and behaved like a kid. Look, even now he recognized his brother¡¯s face.¡±
Julie pointed out and Horas looked down as well. It did seem like Howard was reaching out toward his face. The eyes on Howard¡¯s lovely face looked as if he recognized Howard.
¡®No, I am reading too much into it. No matter how brilliant Howard is, I should not think too much about a kid¡¯s actions. Howard is one year old.¡¯
Horas reminded himself but his instincts were telling him that he was wrong. Howard was reaching out to him all this while.
¡°B¡ro¡dhe¡r¡±
¡°O-Oh my! Howard spoke another word. He¡¯s brilliant, don¡¯t you think so?¡±
Horas wanted to pull his hand back but there was frozen solid. Howard¡¯s eyes red at him in recognition. Recognition no one-year-old should have had. Was this some kind of cheat that was at work here? What should Horas do now?
Chapter 18 Ch 16: The Orphanage [Pt2]
?Horas was not sure if he wanted to embrace the kid in front of him or throw him far away. Howard Spencer¡¯s small body was cute but it was also scaring Horas.
Those eyes looking back at him innocently were making Horas feel a certain kind of way he was not supposed to. He was not supposed to get attached to a kid he did not know but his body was overflowing with emotions.
¡°Be careful. I think your arms are a little tired kid, so give Howard to me.¡±
Julie interfered just as Horas was about to let go of Howard¡¯s small body. He did not even feel his arms getting tired in the meantime.
¡°Ah, be careful. I guess holding on to a kid was too much for little Horas.¡±
Jack tried to make excuses for Horas and anyone could see that Jack was suddenly interested in Howard again. His eyes had an evil and hungry glint in his eye when he looked at the one-year-old.
Maybe Julie saw it as well because she suddenly took Howard and stood up. It caused Horas to stagger as well since Howard had a hard grip on Horas¡¯s arm. Somehow, it was far too strong for a child to have.
Julie looked surprised as she watched Howard make a fuss when he was being led out. The child was reaching out toward Horas but Horas was pinned to the ground by that harsh gaze.
¡°Looks like your brother did not want to let you out of his sight. What a cute pair of brothers you both are. I wonder how close you will be in the future.¡±
Jack¡¯s voice was full of sweet poison as he made the observation. He looked outside the door where Julie was taking Howard away.
Horas could not shake off the feeling of a snake looking at a baby bird it wanted to eat. Jack Hollow¡¯s interest in Howard Spencer was not normal.
Julie came back pretty quickly and her skin loomed flushed. She was also breathing hard because of the small workout she did.
¡°I am sorry. You all came so far to meet Howard but the kid is pretty tired now. He even fell asleep as soon as I took him in.¡±
Julie looked sorry but also determined to see the air go. Horas could tell that it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with Jack Hollow and his interest in Howard Spencer. The man was creepy enough to make anyone ufortable.
¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it. I will bring Horas back around more. We don¡¯t want these brothers¡¯ bonds to fade away over time, right?¡±
Jack¡¯s slippers and greasy voice full of maniption spoke. His eyes were smiling but no one could say that he was happy to see the oue.
Julie''s breath was caught in her throat and she could not deny the man in front of her. But she wanted to deny him so hard.
¡°No, I don¡¯t want to meet my brother again. He won¡¯t be able to start a new and better life if I am around to remind him of his loss. Besides, I have a new life as well.¡±
Horas only realized how un-childlike he sounded once those words were out of his mouth. Even he had no idea why he spoke like that all of a sudden.
Julie looked sad when she looked at Horas and her eyes were full of pity as well. But Jack¡¯s eyes were silently raging as he looked at Horas. He had started to realize that his persuasion was not working on the kid.
¡°N-No, you should visit Howard when you have time. I¡¯m sure Howard would be happy to have his brother around more.¡±
Julie tried to convenience Horas but Horas knew it would be for Howard¡¯s betterment if he did not show up around.
After all, Howard Spencer had no contact with his brother in the original novel until he was older and in the academy. But by that time, they were both nothing more than strangers who knew nothing about each other.
Avoiding the main character was the only way Horas would be able to stay out of danger and live a long life. It would be the only insurance he would have upon returning home.
¡®I cannot risk my life for Howard Spencer. No matter how much respect I have for the protagonist, I cannot change myself dying before I go back home.¡¯
Horas had no idea why it was so important for him to go back home, but he needed to go back urgently. Everything in him called for Horas to go back home.
¡°Well, looks like we were thrown out by Julie. I guess it¡¯s time to go home for both of us. Horas, I hope you remembered what I talked to you about before.¡±
It took Horas a minute to recall what Jack could be saying this about. But then it clicked in his mind - Horas was talking about not tattling on him in front of others.
¡°I will not say anything. It was my fault I got hurt after all. And look, I am all better now. I am a strong boy.¡±
It was killing Horas to be that cringy. He wanted to let Jack know he would keep quiet because it was in his best interest as well but that would just trigger Jakck¡¯s paranoia even more.
It would be better for Horas to try and pretend to be like a kid in front of Jack. That way the ma will lose interest in Horas and would forget all about him shortly.
¡®Please believe my childish act. I can¡¯t hold on to my act any longer.¡¯
Horas¡¯s smile was wide and harmless. Thankfully, Jack lost interest in Horas as soon as he was faced with all this childish disy. He was not interested in a child after all.
¡°Alright kid, get in the car. We are going back home now. I hope you had a fun day outside and got to meet your brother as well.¡±
Horas maintained his smile painfully as he kept on looking toward Jack. it was true that he had gotten to meet his brother, but this day was far from peaceful.
It was stressful and bothersome. It had made Horas feel all ranges of emotions and he was emotionally drained.
The journey back to the Esper¡¯s academy did not take half as long as it took to get there. It was rtively quiet as well and the silence was only broken when Jack spoke up to ask for food choices.
Technically, it had been an outing thatsted for a day and a half. It had been beyond exhausting and Horas waddled inside the academy and toward his wing. He had not even pages Mark toe and get him.
¡°Horas Spencer, remember what we talked about. And I hope we can be good friends in the future.¡±
Jack Hollow repeated the same words for the tenth time that day. Horas was getting tired of hearing the same thing over and over again so he decided to not show any reaction.
Luckily, Mark was still awake by the time Horas entered the room. But that was a given since it was notte in the evening yet. The sun had yet to set over the horizon and Mark was more of a night guy anyway.
¡°Horas, you are back? That was one long ride you took. Anyway,e in and have something to eat. Knowing Jack Hollow, he might have tried to feed you something funny. I hope you were cautious enough not to take him up on his food offer.¡±
Horas had so much to say to that. He was a growing boy and his metabolism was healthy. Going a day without food was unthinkable for him.
But Horas did not have enough energy to protest when Mark was fuzzing over him. He went to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and that was it.
Mark watched the kid sleep and brought over a pillow and nket set.
They did not talk about what happened on Horas¡¯s outing the next day, or even the next year.
When Horas woke up the next morning, he was darn tired but he did his best to make use of what he had. He also decided to finally have a look at the thing he had picked up inside that cave.
The legendary ¡®cheat¡¯ that would enable him to survive.
[[[Item code X
Name: ???
Type: Unidentified. Cannot be scanned.]]]
And it turned out to be useless in the end. It was a cheat but Horas did not even know what kind of chest it would be.
There was so much to unpack but the cheat refused to be acknowledged no matter what Horas did. There could only be one reason behind it - it was not the time or it was not an item that Horas could use.
¡®Ugh, useless.¡¯
Horas was frustrated that day and this would not be the first time he would be frustrated in this regard. Over the years, he learned a few more things as he grew up. He learned about this world and his capabilities.
But the most important lesson Horas learned was how to cheat the system to survive. And that was how he became known as the ¡®Ghost of the Esper.¡¯
Chapter 19 Ch 17: The First Class [Pt1]
?Two years passed after Horas¡¯s first visit to Howard with Jack. Horas tried training his body and skills in the meantime but his progress was nil.
No matter what he did, it seemed to not affect his growth. So he gave up and focused on Mark¡¯s training. At least that was a somewhat useful and productive use of his two years.
And at the age of seven, it was finally time to join the academy. Horas could no longer avoid it anymore. He just hoped that it would help him with his current problem.
And speaking of problems, there was one more thing that bothered Horas currently.
Horas looked at the screen in front of him, hoping that the words would change. But no matter how much he red at the next, it did not change its tag.
¡°Why did I go through that much stress if my only reward was this useless skill? Why did I address it as an ¡®ultimate skill¡¯? Was that extra character bluffing?¡±
Had Horas known that this would be the oue of his struggle, he would have preferred to go after the protagonist¡¯s cheat. That would have served him better in the longer run. Also, losing one cheat would not have affected Howard.
But what was done was done. Horas would have to ept what happened and live on with the consequences. He had enough on his te otherwise so he could notin about his circumstances.
¡°Horas, are you ready? It will be your first day of school. Are you nervous? You don¡¯t need to behave like a brave child and hide your emotions with me.¡±
Mark hopped out of the corner he was hiding in and out into the open. He looked even more excited about Horas going to school than Horas felt himself. He wanted to shake his head every time he saw Mark.
The man was making a fool out of himself.
¡°Mark, calm down. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a good day for me anyway.¡±
Horas was not too optimistic about other students¡¯ attitudes when it came to him. He had written these people and he knew that they were not good people. Most of the students were shallow and too bind up in their own merits.
Since Esper¡¯s academy was an elite school, getting into it was not easy. So most people here have a superiorityplex.
Mark¡¯s sad smile said that he understood Horas¡¯s concerns but he was not worried.
¡°Don¡¯t worry kid. I know what you can do and I¡¯ve seen you ovee harsher things. Compared to your first dungeon, these kids are nothing.¡±
Mark¡¯s words did make Horas feel better but not by much. He knew he was in for a hard day ahead.
Horas could feel everyone¡¯s eyes on him as he moved through the hallway. It was a given that everyone was interested in him since Horas was a kid and too young to be in the academy.
¡°Hey, do you think this kid got lost? Should I help him out?¡±
¡°Who is this kid?¡±
¡°Man, they let anyone in these days. How did a kid get in here?¡±
Horas could hear the kids talk around him and it annoyed him. These kids were busy talking about him but they were not even bothered to keep quiet about him in the first ce.
¡®No, don¡¯t get angry at these kids. You were the one who wrote them to be this way so you have no right to be mad at them.¡¯
Horas tried to contain his feelings but it was hard for him to do. The voices of everyone else were rushing in his head. The more he ignored them, the more he could hear them.
Finally, Horas entered the ssroom he was supposed to be in and took his seat. He felt out of sorts to be the only one in right now. He had purposelye early so that he will not be stared at by everyone.
The ssroom was slowly being filled but Horas kept his head down. No one seemed to notice his presence as well, too busy making friends and allies right now.
Finally, the teacher came and everyone rushed toward their seat. Horas did not react to the teacher, but he did yell when he was about to be crushed under someone¡¯s body weight.
¡°What the why is there a kid in this ss?¡±
The kid who had been about to crush Horas questioned as he looked at Horas. Everyone else started at Horas as well, just realizing that he had even been in the room until now.
And it seemed as if a reaction had been set off all of a sudden by Horas and now everyone was looking at him with awe and confusion. Even the teacher looked startled before she looked down at her sheets and then back up.
¡°Hey kid, are you lost? Teacher, can I help the kid back to his parents? I think he got in here by ident.¡±
A grey-haired beauty by the name of Ashley Whinstone questioned. The only reason Horas recognized her was that she was a future character known as Absolute zero, an ice user.
She had been a grade C minor character who sometimes showed up and had a crush on Howardter on. But she was just a thirteen years old teen right now. She was kind and soft as well, unlike her future-hardened warrior.
¡°Calm down Miss Ahsley and go back to your seat. I assure you that Horas is supposed to be here (despite his age) and he will be a part of your ss as well.¡±
Horas could have sworn that he hear the teacher mutter ¡®they just keep on getting younger every year¡¯ before she looked up. Her words made the ss go quiet in shocked silence.
¡°But mam, no matter how I look at him, this is just a kid.¡±
¡°I know Mr. Kronos, but don¡¯t question the process. You are all kids here. Now sit down and take your seat. Otherwise, you all will be handed detention on your first day of the ss.¡±
Kronos looked pissed off but he sat down nheless. He was not going to risk going against the teacher in front of him. But the threat of the first-day detention caused him to back down.
The teacher¡¯s annoyed look caused everyone else to look away as well. No one wanted detention on their first day.
¡°Look, I know that all you brats have egos the size of the moon but you will all keep it in check. If you want to stay in this academy, you need to show restraint. Now open your books and do self-studying. I am not in the mood to look after you brats.¡±
It was unprofessional of the teacher to assign this self-study as first ss. But Horas was d to have this time for himself.
No one else approached Horas for the rest of his ss but Horas could feel their eyes looking at him from the corner. They were all interested to know more about him and dissect him with their eyes.
Unfortunately, the first ss ended far too early and then it was time for weapon andbat ss. Their teacher was none other than Instructor Harris, the one who had taught Horas how to handle the gun.
¡°...¡±
¡°So Horas, how old are you?¡±
¡°How did you manage to get in here when you are so young? Is it because of your connections? Do you know that one of the school directors is my aunt but they refused to take me in early?¡±
¡°How did you do it, man?¡±
Horas was getting overwhelmed by the overly excited people around him. They were making it obvious that they were here to question him.
Their eyes looked at Horas with excited eyes. They were like hyenas eying their prey as they closed in around Horas.
¡°Umm, guys. I hate to break it to you but maybe we should start walking toward ourbat ss? I¡¯ve heard that instructor Harris does not like it when his students arete.¡±
Someone yelled but most people ignored the speaker. Their curiosity was greater than their fear of being questioned by their new professor. Everyone ignored the speaker in favor of being closer to the person of their interest.
Horas tried hard to ignore all these people but his head was spinning around. He was trying hard to regain his breath.
And just as Horas was about to lose his focus and do something he was about to regret his next actions, the door to the ssroom was banged open and Instructor Harris walked in.
Instructor Harris looked pissed and for good reasons. He hated people taking him and his training lightly just because he was not S-ss. There were a lot of students who looked down on him at first.
¡°I can see that the first years had some guts to not show up to ss. I guess they are all in need of some schooling here.¡±
The ss gulped as one when they looked at their intimidating instructor in front of them.
Despite their initial bravery, seeing a bulky guy in front of them was making the ss nervous. And they all forgot Horas and bullying him for the time being.
Chapter 20 Ch 18: A Fateful Meeting [Pt1]
?¡°You all sure have the guts to ignore me like this. I wonder how well you will be able to perform just as well in your uing test. But from all your attitude, you all look ready.¡±
Instructor Harris gritted his teeth as he looked over the children in front of him. They all were bing increasingly difficult to deal with.
Not only had they disrespected him, but they had also dared to gang up on their ssmate. Instructor Harris had seen everything and he was pissed off. These brats did not know what they were dealing with.
¡°S-Sorry professor, it will not happen again. We just wanted to get to know each other better. Can we be excused this time?¡±
Kronos replied with confidence as he started the professor back. He was sure that the professor would not say anything to him or anyone else in the room.
No matter what kind of bad impression these kids gave off to their instructors, there was no denying that they were the cream of the top. And since they were the ¡®best of the best¡¯ they should be treated as such.
That was the kind of mindset most of these privileged children had when they first came to this school. Horas was beginning to see the ws of his character design and how nd he had made most of these people.
¡°No. You all will not be excused this time. Since you all decided to ¡®stay behind¡¯ and ignore my ss, you can participate in the detention together. Now get yourself to my ssroom.¡±
The ss groaned as one but they followed behind Instructor Harris nheless. Their first impression had not gone over quite as well as they had hoped it to go.
Many students could not help but me Horas for this. If he had just given in and answered their questions, they would not have beente for the ss.
Horas knew the thought process of these privileged children and he sighed. He knew that today was going to be a bad day and everything that happened just happened to prove his point.
Instructor Harris led the small group to the back facility which contained an empty shite room. The stimtion room was used to mimic various terrains and environments.
¡°You all will pick your preferred weapon from the lot in front of you and then practice the basics for it with the AI today. Since there are only 20 of you, you all can use your individual rooms for practice. I will make rounds to check up on you so don¡¯t ck off.¡±
Horas was familiar with the process of picking out a weapon but he already had one of his own. So he stepped back and let the ss pick what they wanted.
He was thankful for having picked up a weapon beforehand because there were too many curious eyes on him right now. The students around him were curious about the kind of weapon Horas used.
Too bad, they were not going to get the satisfaction of seeing him in action today.
Horas looked around and he watched the familiar form of Ahsley Whinstone pick out her signature whip. It was a practice whip but she would use a solid white freezing whip in the future.
On the other hand, Kronos picked up a sword. It was so typical for a bully for him to go for the most destructive weapon in the room.
A lot of other students picked interesting weapons but Horas did not know their names. He also did not make an effort to know other people¡¯s names since he was trying to maintain a low profile.
¡°Alright. I can see that everyone now has a weapon they arefortable with. You all should head into your assigned chambers and start with your training. Once you serve your normal ss time as well as detention time, you are free to go.¡±
Horas looked down at the clock his system was showing and showed an ufortable 6 hours on the timer. He flinched as he realized that it would be a tiring session.
The usual training ss time was four hours. The additional two hours would make most people ache in ces they did not even know they had. Even Horas was not looking forward to such training.
¡®Hey, I am seven years old. Does instructor Harris expect me to keep up with teenagers in terms of stamina?¡¯
Horasined in his mind. He had spent enough time in this training chamber to know that his progress would be recorded.
¡°So annoying.¡±
Horasined but entered the chamber where the robotic AI was standing. It was the same one he always used and he adjusted his settings to his usual one.
Over the past two years, Horas¡¯s body had adjusted to using the gun and he was able to handle the recoil. He was much more flexible and faster than the people around him.
It was either the effect of the world he was in, or it had something to do with being the second main lead.
But despite all this, he was not able to increase his overall stats in the past year. He was still where he had started except for his level and his stamina.
Horas had aches all over his body once he was done. It had been a tiring six hours but Horas had somehow managed not to break down until the end. His shoulders were shaking with the strain of his practice.
Once he reached back his room, he copsed in his bed and only woke up the next morning when the sun had risen brightly in the sky.
Horas hoped that the day before had been a nightmare and this one will be better. But that did not turn out to be the case.
He was still being treated as an attraction and students were following him around. Not only his ss, but the upperssmen had started toe for him as well. His legend had spread all over the school.
So obviously, Horas considered himself lucky when he did not run into any bullies in the first week.
But his luck had to end one day, and it happened one weekter. He was cornered when he was heading toward his programming ss. The party consisted of some of the upper-ssmen Horas knew the name of.
¡°Look, the rumors were not wrong. There is a kid in Esper¡¯s academy right now. And it looks like the kid thinks he¡¯s a part of us.¡±
Horas stayed where he was as peopleughed and cheered at his attacker¡¯s cruel words. There was nothing remarkable about these people, not even their faces.
It was likely that most of these people ended up as cannon fodder in the future. Horas was not particrly impressed by their conduct.
Horas tried to stand up but he has knocked down again. It was a blessing that Esper¡¯s academy did not require one to carry books around with them. It made traveling much faster and more convenient for people.
¡°Hey punk, where are you going? Did I permit you to leave? I don¡¯t think you know whom you are dealing with.¡±
Horas looked up sharply at the kid in front of him. The upperssmen might look older than him on the outside but they were all mean children on the inside. Horas did not have any wish to converse with such children.
But of course, things hardly ever went his way and this time proved to be no different. One of the bullies noticed Horas sneaking away so he spoke up.
¡°Hey, where are you going? Don¡¯t try and be cheeky with me.¡±
The bully reached out for Horas but he dodged it at thest minute. His instincts had kicked in and his body had reacted.
Despite the age difference, Horas was able to keep up with the bully. When the older boy tried to attack, Horas was able to evade him. But Horas¡¯s attack wascking inparison so he did not try and attack the older body.
¡°What the hell? Sit still you brat.¡±
The bully did not like the fact that Horas was able to evade all of his attacks. The elder students on the side started cheering instead of helping Horas out.
¡°Hell yeah. Go for it.¡±
¡°You are doing good. Show the ignorant brat what it means to be a senior.¡±
¡°Fight, fight.¡±
Voices chanted in the hallway and Horas knew it was only a matter of time before an instructor showed up. The teachers might ignore small scuffs between students but this was an all-out brawl.
Not to mention, it involved a senior and Principal Marbel¡¯s ward. The teachers knew the news and they would not take a chance of this small fight reaching the principal¡¯s ears.
¡°What is going on here? Fighting outside thebat ss is prohibited.¡±
All of a sudden, everyone went silent as a familiar face came into focus. At first nce, the red hair and muscr physique would make one think of a man, but there was an obvious softness to the person¡¯s frame on second notice.
What was worst? Horas could recall the red ming hair and ck eyes on that handsome face. It was a very important character in the book - Reed Whinstone.
Chapter 21 Ch 19: A Fateful Meeting [Pt2]
?/¡®The world did not abandon me, but I abandoned this wed world. There is nothing worth living my life for, so why don¡¯t I call it quits now? Humans are just not a specie worth letting live.¡¯ - and extract from ¡®A legendary hero¡¯ spoken by the viiness, Bloodhound.
And as soon as Howard Spencer heard those words, he felt pity for the broken soul.
Reed Whinstone might have been a powerful individual but she was also a rather lonely one. But no one knew where her loneliness came from and where it led her./
As soon as Horas noticed the red hair and ck eyes, only one name came to his mind - Reed Whinstone, the notorious viiness who had a bitter rivalry with the original hero of the book because of their shing ideals.
She was someone who was shunned due to her blood-rted skills and often feared from a young age. She was often misunderstood by people around her as well.
And all this led to her istion during her academy days. It also forced her to be a viiness and one of the worst people in the original novel.
The same viiness stood in front of Horas right now, and everyone froze at her presence.
¡°What is going on here? Fighting outside thebat ss is prohibited.¡±
Horas was surprised to hear a melodic voiceing out from the infamous bloodhound¡¯s mouth. He had often described her voice as rough and broken.
But obviously, it had happened years after she had left the academy. Currently, that famous bloodhound was all but a child as well. And she was still as feared as she was in the future.
¡°You stay out of it, bloody. Or, are you here to beat the kid up as well? Well, you are more than willing to do so.¡±
The child who had been trying to hit Horas until now suddenly backed down like a puppy. All other troublemakers were looking at Reed with an expecting look.
They looked up to her and her ways, but Reed looked uninterested in their feelings. She looked at Horas and his small body before turning away from him.
¡°Yeah, no thanks. I am not interested in picking up on someone one-fourth my size. And you all should hurry up and head to the ss as well. I saw principal Marbleing this way.¡±
Reed Whinstone sounded bored when she spoke but her words certainly caused a small buzz. Everyone else looked at the outer corridor and footsteps could be heard for real.
¡°Oh shit, she¡¯s right. The principal ising.¡±
People ran to their ssrooms as soon as they heard the footstepsing their way. Those who had sses on the other end of the school building bolted away as well. They needed to be in their ss on time.
In the end, the only ones left in the corridor were the people who were supposed to be there.
¡°Thanks for your help.¡±
Horas tried to offer his gratitude to the redhead in front of him but the girl looked uninterested.
¡°Fuck off kid. I don¡¯t like bothersome things so I decided to take care of the mess. You better not cross paths with me again if you know what is good for you.¡±
Horas was nning that already and he did not need a reminder.
He was not overly thrilled at theck of response he got but he was notining as well. He was just uninterested in knowing more about Reed than he already knew.
¡®She might be a character I write but that does not mean I am responsible for Reed Whinstone¡¯s future life. She can make her own decisions.¡¯
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
¡®To think that I just view not to get involved with Reed Whinstone. How did thingse to this?¡¯
Horas looked at the red-haired female in front of him and he could not help but curse his luck. How did his lifee to this point?
¡°Pay attention kid. Now, try and hit me if you can.¡±
Reed Whinstone taunted him as she raised a shield of blood around her. It was made up of artificial blood made especially for people with blood-rted powers. It was a far moremon ability than one could imagine.
Especially since the skill for it was avable on the ck market.
¡°Hey, I am trying. It¡¯s not my fault that my legs are not long enough to dodge yet.¡±
Horasined as his feet were swiped out from under him once again. Reed was not taking it easy on him despite him being a literal kid. It was annoying but also regarding being treated as his ¡®actual¡¯ age.
As for how it all came about? It was rather simple -bined training.
Once a week, there was abinedbat ss held with the upperssmen and the first years. It just happened to have both Horas and Reed partnered up for today. And the culprit for it had been Instructor Harris.
He had seen Reed Whinstone look at Horas with interest and that had sparked the seed of inspiration in his mind. And that was how this dreadful training session had started.
¡°H-Hey, can we take a rest? I have not hit you in over an hour.¡±
Horasined as his legs began to give out. His stamina was also at his limits and his chest was heaving painfully all because of his physical activities.
Until now, Horas had trained himself to withstand shooting for longer times and his uracy. This was a new form of training he was not ready for.
¡°You are tired already? But it has only been an hour since we started. How will you ever-hey!¡±
Horas lost his stepping due to a leg cramp during Reed¡¯s next attack. His leg throbbed painfully as he clutched and tried to move it.
¡°Are you alright? I¡¯m sorry, I did not mean to push you so hard. I had no idea what your limits were and-just wait here, I¡¯ll go and get help.¡±
Reed looked shocked and panicked but Horas expected it to happen. It was not the first time Horas¡¯s leg had shut down due to overwork. It happened periodically and often enough during his training.
Mostly because his muscles were developing and practice stressed them out.
¡°No need. It happens often to me and the doctor showed me stretches to make my aches better. There is no need for you to feel guilty for having injured me.¡±
Horas assured Reed but she did not look reassured. If anything, she looked even more agitated. But she did not say anything to Horas¡¯s reassuring.
Horas recovered pretty quickly and he took his position in front of Reed once again. He was ready to fight with Reed again but Reed stopped him.
¡°I don¡¯t think we should be fighting again so soon. You need to give your body enough room t breathe if you want yourself to recover.¡±
Reed looked conflicted but she also knew that their progress was being recorded. They could just not take rest the whole time because it would reduce their overall points.
¡°You know Reed, you are needlessly kind. Anyone else would have not cared about my injuries and kept on going. Thank you for caring about me.¡±
Horas tried to make light of his situation but Reed look ufortable with his gratitude. She was not used to such genuinementsing her way.
¡°There is no need to thank me since I did not do anything. B-Besides, I am sure anyone else would have done the same as me.¡±
Reed tried to deflect the praise she was getting and Horas let her do so. He could tell that Reed was trying hard to distract herself and now was not the time to change her mind about herself.
¡°Anyway, since we cannot take part in physical training, should we try doing some stimtion training? I¡¯ve found that it counts toward the overall training time.¡±
Horas had written the story so he knew about the cheat that was stimtion training. It helped one heighten their reaction time and overall knowledge but did note into y until one went pro.
Reed looked surprised and suspicious as she heard Horas¡¯s words so she decided to test it out. But her expression melted away in relief once she noticed Horas¡¯s words to be true.
¡°Thanks for the tip kid. I will use this knowledge well.¡±
For people like Reed who were blessed with exceptional physical powers, stimtion training was the best way to improve control and overall knowledge. And now she had appropriate resources to practice them as well.
Horas only realized that he helped out a ¡®future viin¡¯ when he was halfway done with his training for the day. But it was toote to take back what had happened.
¡®I guess it¡¯s not too bad to be in this position for now. Reed Whinstone can certainly use a friend.¡¯
There was no guarantee that Reed will go down the evil path or not, but there was still a year left until her dissertation. Maybe Horas would be able to change her fate.
One good thing that came from this encounter was their tentative friendship. And people generally left Horas alone once he ended up being friends with one of the most notorious person on the current campus.
Chapter 22 Ch 20: The Test [Pt1]
?It happened one week after Horas began to hand out with Reed.
He was busy minding his own business but not everyone was going to let their budding friendship stand. Especially the jealous losers who decided to make Horas their target.
¡°So shrimp, I heard some amusing news. You and the bloodhound hooked up? Aren¡¯t you a little too young for her?¡±
The leader of the small group questioned Horas as he cornered the younger body. Horas looked up at the teen with a bored expression on his face.
He ignored the man in front of him and kept on reading his book. He had somehow managed to get his hand on Mark¡¯s physical copy of the coding and it was an enjoyable read.
¡°Hey kid, I am talking to you. Did hanging out with the bloodhound make you think you are too good for us or something? You are just asking for a beating at this point.¡±
The bully snatched the book out of Horas''s hand and held it high up. He was getting more and more annoying by the second. It would not be long before he challenged Horas¡¯s temper and ended up in the hospital.
¡°What is it that you want with me? I will report you to the authorities if you did not leave me alone.¡±
Horas threatened the teen back which caused the bully to be angrier than before.
¡°Y-You little bug. How dare you hide behind all the teachers and -¡±
The door opened and Reed walked in. She had promised to help Horas out today with his training and she was right on time.
Her presence caused the bully to falter and flinch. They had not expected to run into her today and she terrified the kids. Her skill with blood was enough to give her a bad reputation.
¡°What is going on here? Horas, do you need help?¡±
¡°N-No, it¡¯s nothing. We were just leaving right now.¡±
Reed¡¯s eyes were harsh and unweing which caused the bully to run away. But Horas could read the confusion and tiredness in Reed¡¯s eyes. The girl had not meant to frighten anyone.
The more time Horas had spent with Reed, the more he had understood her nature. She appeared scary on the outside but she was not a scary person. She was caring and a good judge of character.
But no one believed in her due to her skills involving blood. Even if she used artificial blood, people were still afraid of her.
And every time it happened, Reed looked more and more tired of life. It was easy to know why she had decided to be a viin.
Unlike the people in the adventure sector, the viins were not afraid of her and they often faced her head-on. And suddenly, Horas would not mind if Reed chose the viins again.
¡°What are you looking at, shrimp? You should fight back if these people are bothering you. Don¡¯t sit back ideally.¡±
Reed looked offended on Horas¡¯s behalf but her speech sounded empty to Horas. Especially since he knew how passive Reed was about herself and thements against her
Heck, she allowed it all to collect and overwhelm her.
But the worst thing was - Horas was not sure he wanted to help Reed out. She was miserable in the academy and as an adventurer. It was killing her to be on this side.
But her going on the other side was just as bad for a lot of people and the world.
¡®Let¡¯s leave it on the fate for now. I should not interfere with the story any more than I already have. I will lose any chance to return home if I do.¡¯
In the end, Horas was a selfish creature and he decided to go for personal profit.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
Half a year passed in a sh for Horas. He was not able to improve his physical stats much but he was getting better mentally and emotionally.
His superior knowledge as the creator of this world as well as the adult mind allowed him to grasp concepts he should not have at his age. And Horas did not care much for hiding his knowledge as well.
He was good at what he did and the people knew that as well. Many students had epted it at this point and no longer gave Horas nk about his young age. Mostly because he was able to beat them in quizzes and had Reed Whinstone on his side.
Reed Whinstone was a ¡®friend in progress¡¯ for Horas but she did stick around and talked with Horas when she had time. She also helped him train and it helped his progress.
And that was how the half-yearly''s arrived for his batch. And with them came their first dungeon exploration as abined unit.
¡°Alright ss, calm down. I know you are all excited but you need to calm down and listen to your instructors. You will be heading into an F-ss dungeon for the first time so we will form teams with the graduation ss for this visit.¡±
Horas was looking forward to this. The graduation ss had Reed in it and she was the only friend Horas had.
¡°You all can check your system to know who your teammates would be. And before you ask - no, you won¡¯t be able to change your teams in the future.¡±
Instructor Harris rified before anyone could ask this question. He had been asked this too many times until now so he was prepared to answer it.
A lot of people looked sheepish and lowered their hands. Horas also looked down on his system, expecting to see a familiar name in his team.
[[[Team E: Alicia Friedler (Graduation ss)
Joni Burban (Graduation ss)
Tyson Bumbrey (First year)
Sylvia Fas (First year)
Horas Spencer (First year)]]]
There was no familiar name on the list and Horas was shocked not to see Reed on his team. He looked up toward Reed and she looked surprised as well.
¡°Now, I know that ¡®some¡¯ of you expected to see familiar names in your groups but that will not be possible. You all might be needed to work with new people in the future so think of this as practice for such a situation.¡±
The graduation ss¡¯s instructor exined while she discreetly gave Horas and Reed looks.
Instructor Harris looked ufortable but he seemed to agree with the elder instructor. He has told Horas the same thing more than once and he finally seemed to have taken action.
Horas was not as disappointed as he was ufortable. He instinctively knew that something must have happened to Reed during this time to push her into bing a viiness, but he had no idea what it could be.
¡°You all are to stick with your group and discord points by killing monsters. It will help you in scoring your final positioning for this half-yearly. So good luck to everyone.¡±
Everyone was suddenly excited to go out and hunt. Everyone had a good grasp of the other¡¯s strengths. Horas was not surprised to see his team being disappointed with having him on it.
¡°Fuck, a kid? I heard the rumors but it was true? Do the teachers want us to cest?¡±
Alicia moaned as she examined Horas. The kid looked nothing special and will be a liability. They will have to protect the kid instead since any one person dropping out meant the group was out for the count.
¡°Calm down Alicia. We cannot do anything about our teams now so we will just have to adapt. I will be the kid¡¯s caretaker while you all go out and rack points. We will just have to hope we don¡¯te out asst.¡±
Joni Burban assured as he tried to find the silver lining in the situation.
¡°Kid, what kind of weapon do you use? Can you conduct your mana?¡±
Alicia tried to calm down her temper as she looked toward the kid. Horas silently pulled up his trusted gun and Alicia¡¯s expression dropped.
¡°This is doomed. Cursed. Why me? Why is it happening to me?¡±
Alicia groaned as she watched Horas take out a gun. The kid was not only a liability in terms of ability but a weapon as well. He had chosen the only weapon that was impossible to conduct mana through.
Maybe the teachers were taking out their grudges on her? Just what did she do wrong?
Even the other members of their team were beginning to feel sorry for themselves. It would be a miracle not to end up asst.
¡°Anyway, what is done is done so let¡¯s not me anyone today. Horas, you stay with me so that I can protect you alright?¡±
Joni felt sympathy for Horas. This kid was the same age as his younger sister which made Joni feel soft for him. He would protect the kid when no one else wanted to do so.
Horas watched it all happen. His teammates were having a mental breakdown over his age and his weapon choice. They were judging him without even knowing his abilities and just for that he would not help them.
Except for Joni. Joni was cool in his books, even if the man considered Horas a child.
////The test will start in one minute. All teams get ready and take your spot.///
Chapter 23 Ch 20: The Test [Pt2]
?////The test will start in one minute. All teams get ready and take your spot.///
The announcement finally came and Horas¡¯s team got ready to dive into the dungeon that was exclusive to the academy. It was only opened in case of exams and other important meetings.
Horas had never been in here before but he did know that it was an F-ss dungeon and rtively easy to capture. It was also artificially maintained to never go over the capacity of its limits.
¡°Alright team. Our goal is simple - not toe inst. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Alicia yelled out as she crossed the gate. She had taken the lead already and Joni sighed tiredly. He seemed used to Alicia¡¯s hyper nature.
¡°Sorry about her kids. You will get used to Alicia.¡±
Joni reminded Lucas and he wondered how the other teen was doing. Had he recovered enough to be able to walk and run again? Lady heals had given him appropriate treatment on time.
But now was not the time to think about it. They had finally entered the dungeon.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
¡°Ugh, why did it have to be her? Could they not have given us anyone normal as a team member?¡±
¡°Shhh, don¡¯t talk so loudly or the bloodhound will hear you. Don¡¯t you know how cruel and vicious she is? Do you want to die?¡±
¡°Still, it¡¯s better than E. I heard they got stuck with that kid in the first year. Now we have a definitive answer about who woulde inst.¡±
¡°Besides, bloodhound might be scary but she¡¯s an efficient killer with all the blood she spills. We¡¯ll be in first in no time.¡±
Reed could hear the people talk about her but it did not bother her much. However, it was different when it came to her friend. She could feel her temper re the more she thought about it.
These people had no right to judge her or Horas for anything, least of all their circumstances. The more Reed got to know humans, the more disgusting she found them to be.
¡°Anyway, we need to score in the top 3 to get a great ranking and get into the best guild out there. I heard that scouts look at these rankings all the time when assigning pay scales.¡±
Reed let her teammates talk among themselves. She could feel a hoard of small monsters heading their way but she was not going to inform their group.
If these kids could not even get their heads out of their world then they were not going to go very far, good ranking or not.
¡°So, I was thinking - what the hell? Where did these monsterse from? Who was on duty?¡±
Her teammate questioned as she brought her sword out to fight these monsters. The rest of her group got their weapons out as well.
Reed was about to join them when she felt someone throw a small de her way. She managed to get out of the way in time, only to see her teammate look back at her.
¡°Hey, it could have hit me asshole. Don¡¯t you see where you are throwing your fucking projectiles?¡±
Reed questioned as she clutched her bleeding shoulder. She used her abilities to force her wound shut but it did not heal her shoulder. The pain and fatigue were still there.
¡°Huh? Attack you? I was just helping a freak like you out. Don¡¯t you need to bleed to use your powers? I am just helping you out.¡±
Her teammate spoke with confidence and Reed felt her anger boiling inside her body. She had been deliberately attacked by someone who was supposed to be on her side.
She knew that humans could be disgusting but this was even beyond what she had thought about before. What was worse? No one else seemed to consider it as ¡®wrong¡¯ to attack Reed.
¡°Hey bloodhound, if you are alright then help us out already. It is your fault that we were not ready in time for this attack.¡±
Another teammateined to Reed and she bit her lips to not scream out loud and curse the other teen. She did not want to swoop down to their level but it was tough.
¡®I need to ignore these kids. I can ignore them and be the bigger person here.¡¯
Reed took out the bottle of artificial blood she kept on her person. It was weaker than natural blood but still strong enough to get her work done.
Blood rushed toward the monsters and cleaved cleanly through their small numbers. Reed¡¯s teammates were frozen in shock as they watched Reed take care of all the small fries in a matter of minutes.
¡°M-Monster. You are a monster.¡±
Reed¡¯s teammates were looking at her like she was a freak. Most of her teammates were struggling to kill even one big monster in here but Reed had taken care of so many at once.
¡°She¡¯s a monster with how she fights. I cannot believe she managed to kill all those monsters in a single strike.¡±
Reed could hear the fear in her teammates¡¯ voices. They were not only criticizing her but also spreading false rumors about her cruelty. And all that after she saved them.
¡®I am getting so tired of humanities double standards. I wonder how you are fairing Horas. I hope you are having a better time than me.¡¯
Reed looked up into the sky, happy to ignore her other teammates. She did not want to associate herself with idiots who would end up betraying her soon enough.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
¡°Everyone, into formation. The giant is worth a lot of points and we don¡¯t want to lose it. Joni, take care of Horas for now.¡±
Horas could feel Joni¡¯s desire to join the hunt. The more involved a person was in the hunt, the more points they would earn overall.
And if Joni stayed behind to look after Horas, he would lose a lot of personal points. It was a conflicting thought indeed and Horas did not want Joni to lose out on points.
¡°You should go and join the hunt. I will stay here, in the safe shadows.¡±
Horas assured Joni but Joni was still double-minded. Horas wanted to push the elder teen to leave him alone.
After all, Horas could not use his secret mana-infused bullets if there were other people around. They were a secret experiment he was heading with Mark in his free time. But they were not out for the market yet.
Most people would just think that Horas was using his skills and nothing else if they were not close enough.
¡®If only I had a skill right now. It would make my life so much easier.¡¯
But that was not the case.
¡°Sorry kid, but I don¡¯t feelfortable leaving you on your own. You are as old as my younger sister, you know. You need to be protected.¡±
Joni tried to pass a reassuring smile but he was worried about Horas. He was not taking the hint that Horas wanted him to take.
¡°JONI, LOOK OUT.¡±
Horas and Joni were so engrossed in their bickering that they did not notice the giant changing trajectories and heading toward their direction.
By the time Alicia noticed this, the giant was too far for any of their melee attacks to reach it in time. And Joni was supported so he would not be able to y the giant.
The giant raised his club and Joni¡¯s instincts snapped into motion. He raised his hand and a barrier came to life around the pair. It was small but enough to take the first hit and shatter.
By the time the giant raised his club again, Joni had another barrier snapped into ce but he was pale. The others in their team had started to run back to the base as well but no one had a speed skill.
They would not be able to return before Joni ran out of juice. So Horas was left with only one option.
¡°Hey Joni, can you keep the barrier up for a few minutes? I will try and take care of the giant so don¡¯t lose concentration.¡±
Horas took his special bullet out which contained all his condensed mana. It had taken him a long time to make so he did not have many.
He had around 10 and now he was going to use one. It was an experiment so he also did not know how useful they would be. Raw and condensed mana was rarely used due to its destructive nature.
¡°Hey kid, what do you - shit¡±
Joni lost his concentration after hearing Horas¡¯s words and the barrier almost copsed. Joni instantly focused his attention back on the danger in front of himself after that.
Horas took this opportunity to aim and fire. He needed to make his every shot count. The best way to kill a giant was to hit its head.
*bang*
The sound of the gunshot was loud and it hurt Horas¡¯s ears. But he watched his bullet lodge itself into the giant¡¯s head and nothing happened for a few seconds.
And then the giant evaporated in a single sh, leaving no traces behind. The raw mana in the bullet had eaten the giant whole in a matter of seconds. This weapon was too dangerous to be let out into the market.
Chapter 24 Ch 21: The Horrible Day [Pt1]
?Joni was sure he was going to die today in this dungeon. But he would have no regrets even if his life was toe to an end.
Horas was the same age as his younger sister and Joni could not leave him out in the danger like this. The kid needed protection and Joni was the only one who could protect him.
Or that was what Joni thought before he watched a whole giant disappear in front of their eyes in seconds. And it all happened because of Horas and his skills. He had not even hesitated to take a life.
¡°W-What happened?¡±
Joni could feel his body shaking as he tried to make sense of what had happened in front of his eyes.
¡°Joni, are you alright? Can you stand up?¡±
Horas asked as he made his way toward Joni. and Joni found himself flinching without knowing why. Horas had done nothing but save Joni¡¯s life.
But Joni was not able to forget what Horas¡¯s bullet had done to that giant and how soon it had disappeared. He was suddenly afraid of Horas, this seven-year-old boy who was the same age as his sister.
¡°Joni, are you-¡±
¡°Joni, Yohna, are you both alright? We saw a sh before the giant disappeared. Man, you have been holding back on us, haven¡¯t you Joni? When did you gain such a powerful spell?¡±
Joni¡¯s whole body shuddered as Alicia¡¯s arms closed around his shoulder. He felt the tension drain away from his body and he could move again.
He also watched Horas take a step back, finally realizing that Joni was afraid of him. But Joni did not want that to happen.
Horas might have an amazing affinity for destruction but he did not seem like a bad child. After all, he had not used his powers until he had no other option to use them.
¡°I am alright, Alicia. Horas saved me with thatst skill of his. But I think I am done hunting for today and would like to rest for now.¡±
Horas looked surprised at Joni¡¯s reassurance and Joni tried to pass a reassuring smile to him. He was still afraid of the kid and his potential but he did not want to avoid the kid. It was not good for Horas¡¯s mental development.
And that was also how people were pushed to be viins.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
¡°Wow, look at that explosion. Did we have someone in our grade who is that powerful? No one except the bloodhoundes to mind.¡±
Reed watched the explosion happen as well. But unlike everyone else, she had an inking of who it was that caused this explosion to ur. After all, she had watched Horas¡¯s inventor and he had some ¡®experimental¡¯ shit in there.
¡°Hey, do you think we will lose our lead because of that explosion? We barely made it to the top 3. I think we should go there and check the situation out.¡±
¡°Yeah. If the explosion was that big then there is a solid chance that the team that caused it would have injuries as well. I say we capitalize on it and cause them to drop out of the test.¡±
Reed watched with a disgusted expression as his fellow teammates nned to take advantage of others¡¯ misfortune and expand their lead.
Their team was on the verge of beating the second rank team but her teammates were not satisfied with that. They wanted to be no.1 at all costs, even if the method turned inhuman.
Did they even realize that the only reason their team had this rank was because of Reed? She had a monopoly on most of the hunting points and was the reason they had so many. Her teammates would be in for a shock when the individual rankinges in.
¡°Alright, if we are all in agreement, then let¡¯s do this. Now that we have secured quite a lot of points, let¡¯s cause other teams to drop out of thispetition. After all, we have the bloodhound on our side.¡±
Reed wanted to remind her team that this was not apetition but a test but she doubted that they would listen to her.
They ignored her presence anyway and they also pretended like they were superior to her in every way. The more time Reed spent with them, the more she came to dislike humanity.
¡°Is no one going to ask for my opinion before you use me? I am not going to attack other humans during thispetition.¡±
Reed t-out refused her team and hindered their ns. They knew as well that they were dependent on Reed for most of their firepower. But they were also spoilt little shits who felt entitled to her power.
¡°Reed, don¡¯t be like that. We are a team and a team sticks together through its decisions. You have to help us out here.¡±
Reed looked at the girl who had just bad-mouthed her in the morning. Reed¡¯s stare caused the speaker to look away in shame.
¡°I said that I will not participate in your shenanigans and I will not attack humans during this exam. So you all better behave. After all, I am not above quitting in the middle of our exam.¡±
¡°Y-You won¡¯t dare to. Even you will suffer if you quit now.¡±
Another of Reed¡¯s ¡®teammates¡¯ reminded her. Reed was unaffected by the threat since she did not care about rankings and such things.
The only reason Reed was in Esper¡¯s academy was that she had nowhere else to go. As an orphan with exceptional mana capabilities, it had been a given that she would end up here.
¡°Yeah, try me if you don¡¯t believe me. Now, leave me alone you spoilt brats.¡±
Reed¡¯s teammates gritted their teeth as they watched her leave. She was an eyesore in everyone¡¯s eyes but they could not get rid of her.
¡°Shit, what do we do now? Our whole n revolves around using Reed as an attacker.¡±
The eldest female asked. She knew she was getting over-aged and she needed the best possible ranking to make the top cut. She could not afford to stay down in her current spot.
¡°Wait, I have an idea. I think my maniption ability would be able to help us out. I can control Reed into following orders but we will need to weaken her first. Here, mix this potion into her next meal and I will take care of everything.¡±
The panicked female looked at her teammate and she could not help but frown at his words.
She eyes the small purple bottle in front of her with a surprised expression.
¡°Hey, where did you get this bottle from? And who are you? Were you on our team?¡±
Now that the eldest team member asked this question, the other two looked vignt as well. The more they looked at this man, the more something seemed to be wrong.
They were sure they had never seen this man before in their lives. But he still looked somewhat familiar to them.
¡°Tsk, it broke already. I will need to correct my skill next time.¡±
The teen spoke before his eyes shed white and the three people in front of him calmed down again. Their eyes went hazy and they looked somewhat drunk and dizzy all of a sudden.
¡°What are you all talking about? I am your teammate, remember?¡±
¡°Y-Yeah, I remember¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. You are our teammate.¡±
¡°Silly me. How could forget my own ssmate¡¯s face? Darn that Reed Whinstone and her actions. She is stressing me out for real.¡±
The eldest member of the team cursed Reed out as she regained herposure. She was sure that her current state of memory loss was because of Reed.
¡°Alright, fine. Give me that potion and I will think of some way to make Reed take it. But you better keep up your end of the promise and make sure we rank well.¡±
In the end, the eldest member promised to fulfill her role. She was going to slip this potion into Reed¡¯s food tonight.
¡°Yeah, that would be fantastic. Don¡¯t worry leader, I won¡¯t fail in my task. After all, we are both in the same boat.¡±
The leader finally rxed and so did the other teammates. They trusted each other to help out in the situation. And they were also united when it came to Reed and her hical ways.
The teen who had promised to ¡®tame¡¯ Reed smiled as he watched his other teammates rx and not question him. His control skill was strong but it was not invincible. Plus, he was saving all his strength to control the ¡®blood hound¡¯ of Esper¡¯s academy.
After all, Reed Whinstone was the reason the viin called ¡®Controller¡¯ had slipped into this academy. That girl needed saving from these horrible humans who did not see her value.
Their leader had been right. Reed Whinstone was an unfortunate soul and Controller would make sure she was taken to her rightful ce.
As for these spoilt brats, he could care less about what happened to them. They did not deserve to live after having plotted against the other teams. He would make sure to kill them all once he got of the dungeon.
¡®But man, these suppressors are annoying as heck. I cannot break them or this whole ce woulde falling down around me.¡¯
Chapter 25 Ch 23: The Horrible Day [Pt2]
?Reed had a feeling that his team was nning on doing something against her but she had no idea what it could be. She decided to keep an eye on them as she realized.
But nothing happened the whole day. It was the same routine of killing the monsters and gaining points. No one was acting suspicious but Reed could still not help but find it all too suspicious.
¡®My teammates are acting too suspicious. Should I confront them about it? But then again, they will not give me a straight answer to my questions.¡¯
Reed decided to give up in the end. These children were not worth her notice anyway. It would be better for Reed to focus on herself.
¡°Here, your food. You should be grateful that we are still feeding you despite your attitude.¡±
The leader handed Reed her food as if she was doing a great service which pained her greatly. The disgusted look on the leader¡¯s face caused Reed¡¯s appetite to fall.
But despite Reed¡¯sck of appetite, her body needed nutrition and she ended up taking the offered food. It tasted weird and Reed found herself wondering at the unpleasant taste of her food. But she managed to finish it anyhow.
And then her nightmares began. She could feel herself moving but Reed¡¯s body was notplying with her mind. She was moving under someone else¡¯s control.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
¡°And we are done with today¡¯s hunt. How are you feeling Joni?¡±
Horas watched from the sidelines as Alicia handed the food out. Their team had a rough start but they had finally settled down into their roles.
And despite Alicia¡¯s initial hesitance of letting Horase with them, she allowed him to hunt in the end. And Horas had proven his abilities by shooting many of their targets in the legs.
Horas mightck the raw firepower the other ¡®mana-conducting¡¯ weapons gave off but he was swift and his range made up for hisck of mana in this dungeon.
¡°Hey kid, hurry up and eat as well. You must be getting hungry by now.¡±
Alicia handed over a bowl to Horas as she made he was around the camp. She had finally chilled down and began respecting Horas once he had started contributing to their team.
¡°Man, I cannot believe me are notst. I thought we were a goner for sure.¡±
Sylvia, the girl from Yohan¡¯s ss, eximed. They had not talked much before but Horas had seen her around. From what he remembered, Sylvia was a dual-sword user and a decent one at that.
Horas shook his head to not let Sylvia¡¯s words get to his head. He watched Joni eat his soul with a dazed expression. The elder teen was out of it ever since he had almost been killed off.
The dinner passed in rtive silence until a re snapped into the sky. It was the sixth one for the day.
¡°Looks like another team decided to bail out. Man, there are too many people quitting this time around. And that team was ranked 8th overall as well.¡±
Tyson, another first year in their team eximed as he checked the system. It contained information about teams and their current positions.
Horas quickly checked his team position and it sat somewhere around 10th right now. It was afortable position to be in, not too high and not too low.
But it was only because a lot of other teams had called it quit today. Something fishy was going on around for sure.
¡°Hey, do you think someone is deliberately going around and making teams call it to quit? So many disqualifications don¡¯t seem normal to me.¡±
Sylvia asked as she looked down at the ground. She was a good fighter but she was also the second-weakest link in their team. She would be the target of the other team since Horas was well-guarded by the others.
She could not help but worry about her future.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I am sure that it is nothing. Let¡¯s decide our night shifts and go to sleep.¡±
Alicia distracted everyone else as she took out slips to decide who will petrol when. It was a dual system of petrol where shifts would change every hour alternatively.
Even Horas was expected to participate and he had no problem with that. He was just worried about all the unusual things happening around the exam site. Especially since this was ¡®the exam¡¯ which pushed Reed off toward the ¡®dark side¡¯.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
Horas tried to sleep but something was bugging him. His mind was not allowing him to fall unconscious and Horas just pushed his covers aside and stood up.
There was a restlessness in his blood that wanted him to move around. He could not keep himself still.
*Yawn*
¡°Horas, are you awake? You should sleep while you still can. Your turn to petrol is not until the next two hours.¡±
Alicia¡¯s voice scared Horas and he almost jumped in his ce. But his beating heart somewhat calmed down once Horas realized that Alicia was just here because she was patrolling along with Joni.
Joni looked concerned about Horas as well but he kept his distance.
¡°I woke up because of body needs. I will be back soon so don¡¯t wait up for me.¡±
Alicia looked a little embarrassed once she realized what Horas was indicating and she backed off as well. But there was still worry that shined in her eyes.
¡°Joni, can you go with Horas? I am not sure if we can leave him alone in the dungeon right now.¡±
Alicia looked worried for some reason and Joni did not cut her words. They both seemed to be in some kind of agreement which Horas was sure he would not be able to guess.
Besides, the worry he was feeling seemed to not go away even when he tried to calm himself down. So maybe being with someone else would make Horas feel safer when he did his deed.
Joni stood up and the pair walked out of their safety camp.
¡°Did something happen while I was asleep? Both you and Alicia seem to be on edge.¡±
Horas asked the question that he wanted to for some time. Joni took a little take aback before his eyes shed with conflict.
In the end, Joni decided to tell Horas everything. Horas might be a kid but his intelligence seemed to be on par with theirs. It would be insulting to hide things from him at this rate.
¡°Two more teams dropped out in thest hour. But, weirdly, the teachers are not interfering during our exams. We are just worried about what is happening.¡±
Horas had noticed it as well. It had been weird that the teachers had not caught up on what was happening. What was the control center doing while this dungeon was acting weird?
¡°I guess we will never know what will happen and - look out.¡±
Horas grasped Joni¡¯s hand and dragged him down to the ground. The teen barely missed the small needle heading his way when he was pulled down.
Horas spotted a sh of red heading their way and he instinctively dragged Joni behind him as he ran. His bad feeling was evolving rapidly right now.
¡°W-What is happening? Are we being attacked right now? But why whom?¡±
Joni questioned as he ran after Horas. They were both trying to get away from the monster running after them. Its red eyes were focused on Horas and Joni right now.
There was something familiar after their hunter but it was difficult to figure out what it was. Why did their hunter feel so familiar to Horas?
¡°W-We need to change directions. We cannot go back to the c-camp.¡±
Joni eximed and Horas agreed with him. Not to mention, they were currently unprepared to face such a huge challenge.
Horas was about to take out his gun when he noticed another figure closing up around them. He immediately pulled Joni to run the other way and he finally got a clear view of who it was.
It was a student from his grade, a shot girl at that. Horas had seen her around but he had never paid enough attention to her before.
¡®Are the attacker''s students? Wait for a second! That red, it could not be!¡¯
Horas¡¯s brain suddenly stopped working and then gears started to turn inside it. He had a solid idea about the identity of his chaser now.
¡®Shit! Fuck! It¡¯s Reed! The one who is trying to kill us is fucking Reed Whinstone!¡¯
Horas did not know what happened to push Reed this far but he knew he needed to help her out. Otherwise, everyone in here would die because of Reed¡¯s blood maniption.
¡°Joni, we need to split up. Once we do, drop out of thepetition and call the authorities.¡±
Joni looked startled at Horas¡¯s suggestion.
¡°B-But we will be disqualified and-¡±
¡°Our lives are on the line Joni. The teachers will not take it seriously if I went back.¡±
Horas had no idea why the teachers were not taking ¡®other¡¯ students seriously but he was sure that he would not be taken seriously because of his age.
It would have to be Joni who will have to go back and call for help. Horas just hoped that it woulde before something terrible ended up happening.
Chapter 26 Ch 24: Help?
?Horas watched Joni weigh his options. The teen was a good man, not wanting to leave Horas behind and escape alone. But this was their only chance.
Joni finally realized Horas was right and he took a sharp right turn while Horas took a left. The red behind them did not hesitate to go after Horas as soon as they split up. Reed was following Horas¡¯s lead after all.
Horas watched Joni flinch and finally press the ¡®quit¡¯ button on his system device before he disappeared.
¡°Shit, we lost one. Hey guys, we are in big trouble now.¡±
The short girl who had been following Horas and Reed shouted out all of a sudden. It seemed like she no longer cared about keeping her cover and blocked Horas¡¯s path.
Horas stopped running as well. He had been concerned from both sides and doubted he would be allowed to run away. Reed also walked up behind him but there was something wrong with her.
¡°You all should give up now. My teammate managed to escape and help out be here soon.¡±
Horas warned as he watched Reed¡¯s dazed eyes. She was not herself right now.
Horas was sure that Reed¡¯s teammates had done something to her. But he did not remember anyone being strong enough to control Reed. At least, no student should be able to hold her.
¡°Shit. You foiled out a well-constructed n. How did you see using when no one else did? Not even the seniors noticed who attacked them so how did you?¡±
Horas¡¯s ssmate asked the question as she stopped hiding. Her annoyed face clearly showed that she was confused.
¡°Did you attack everyone secretly and knock them out? Is that why no one was able to report your crimes and call for help?¡±
Horas wanted to know more. He needed to keep Reed and his ssmate engaged so that Joni could call for help in the meantime.
¡°Won¡¯t you like to know? For now, you should be aware that we have ways of keeping people quiet. I doubt most of our victims even remember what happened to them.¡±
Horas¡¯s ssmate sounded certain. It meant that they had someone with mind-rted abilities on their team. But Horas did not remember someone like that being in his ss. Was the user from the graduation ss?
Horas wanted to ask more questions but the vision of red he had seen before rushed at him.
It was only because Horas was used to fighting Reed and her entric ways that he could dodge the attack.
Blood rushed toward him but it missed Horas by an inch and ended up cutting the tree behind Horas. There was too much force behind that attack for it to be a prank.
Reed was rushing at Horas to kill him but her moments were not as full as they usually were. And her body also looked tense and lifeless when it moved. Reed was not herself right now.
¡°You! What did you do to Reed? She is not behaving like herself.¡±
Horas questioned as he tried to create some distance between himself and Reed. He was fucked if he got into Reed¡¯s attack range. But it was easier said than done.
Reed had a huge range and she could utilize any blood that had been shed. That was the only constion Horas had and he hoped his usual sparring knowledge would help him against Reed.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
¡®Quit! I need to find the quit button and fast.¡¯
Joni ran as fast as he could back to the camp. He could feel it, someone was chasing after him.
All Joni needed was to find the quit button and he would be safely out of there. But his rushing was making it hard for him to focus.
¡°Well, well, well, look who we have here. If it isn¡¯t Alicia¡¯s loyal puppy! You must be so happy to be on the same team as your goddess, right?¡±
Joni¡¯s run stopped as soon as he noticed someone blocking his way. It was Shelly Noin, an annoying existence obsessed with being ¡®first¡¯ in the ss.
Her father was one of the high-ranking adventurers and Shelly was proud of him.
¡°Ugh Shelly, what are you doing? Don¡¯t tell that you were responsible for what happened here?¡±
Joni questioned, wanting to believe in his ssmate for once. But he knew in his heart that she had been behind everything that happened. The only question was - how did she pull it off?
¡°Fine, I won¡¯t tell you that I did all this. But, it will still be your loss since you be booted out of here without your memories.¡±
Joni wanted to curse at Shelly¡¯s words. It seemed like she knew about Jonu¡¯s n. And his nervousness to find the back-out button did not help him.
¡°Shelly, I am sure we can talk about our differences. There is no need for you to be violent-¡±
¡°Shut up. I am taking no chances with you. This is my chance to enter the top ranks and make my father proud.¡±
Sheely took out a small vial and threw it toward Joni. Joni knew he would not be able to dodge the attack on time so he braced himself for the impact.
Only, it never came and something crashed into the ground in front of him.
¡°Joni, you better have a solid exnation of what is going on here.¡±
Alicia someone made it in time to him and blocked the vial from reaching Joni. She looked to be in pain and Shelly looked shocked and panicked.
¡°NO, my n.¡±
Shelly cried out which finally snapped Joni out of his daze and he remembered where the quit button was.
His heart sank as he watched Alicia suffering in front of him. His teammate had taken the blow for him just so that Joni would not be hurt and now he was about to betray Alicia¡¯s trust.
¡°Sorry Alicia, but I swear it¡¯s for a good cause. I will exin it to youter.¡±
¡°Hey, what do you mean-¡±
But before Alicia could finish speaking, Joni was out of the test and back into the facility. He had used the emergency evacuationmand and sessfully disqualified his team from thepetition.
¡°Great, another one came back. Go and check what is wrong with this one before throwing him in bed. What is wrong with today¡¯s test? Everyone ising back unconscious and they refuse to wake up.¡±
Lady Heals sighed as he came over to Joni and she looked started to see Joni awake.
¡°Holy god, you are awake? This is a miracle at this point.¡±
Lady Heals tried to calm down her racing heart but Joni could not give her any time to rx. He needed her help.
¡°T-There is something wrong with the dungeon. There is a team going around attacking everyone and they are drugging others to make them drop out of thepetition.¡±
Lady Heals frowned once she heard Joni¡¯s desperate words.
Usually, it was not such a big deal for adventurers toe in contact with unknown substances since the dungeons were uncharted territories.
However, this was an F-ss dungeon that was regted by Esper¡¯s academy. It was checked regrly for dangerous substances. It did not make sense for students to fall unconscious like this.
But even if Lady Heals was concerned about this, she could not bring this up to the authorities herself. But now it seemed like she finally had an answer to her prayers.
¡°An irregrity you say? But I can see that there is nothing wrong with the dungeon itself. So that means someone is purposely sabotaging this exam. Shit, a viin managed to slip by.¡±
Lady Heals had seen almost everything in her life which came with pros and cons. In this case, it caused her to not realize the graveness of the situation early.
Generally, it did not matter what happened in the dungeon, but it was different when it came to a viin.
¡°Kid, you did well. Now rest and leave the rest to me. I will make sure to investigate this situation properly.¡±
Viins were a top priority and needed to be reported if there was even an indication of one being spotted. The only reason Lady Heals could think of not having heard such a report was if the handlers had shaken hands with the viins as well.
She hurried past the room and into the principal¡¯s office. Principal Marbel needed to hear what was going on as soon as possible.
If this was a conspiracy, then it needed to be taken care of before someone got hurt.
¡°Principal Marbel, this is an emergency.¡±
It had not been Lady Hl¡¯s intention to interfere in the general assembly meeting but she needed to do.
Principal Marbel needed to take only one look at her face to figure out that something had gone wrong.
¡°Gentlefolks, I am sorry to say that I will have to postpone our meeting to another day. My subordinate needs me and I will have to go now.¡±
The others in the room looked ufortable and annoyed with Principal Marbel¡¯s decision but they also knew that they won¡¯t be able to shake her will.
Lady Heals breathed in relief as she watched the Principal head out with her. Finally, something was going right for her after all this time.
Chapter 27 Ch 25: End To The Test [Pt1]
?¡°Sarah, I hope you have a good reason to make me end my meeting early. I would have you know that I almost had those bastards cornered here.¡±
Principal Marbel sounded annoyed but eager to know what Sarah had to say to her. And Sara felt sorry that she could not give her superior good news. This was the gravest news Sarah could have given the Principal.
¡°The thing is-¡±
Sarah repeated everything she had heard from Joni and Principal Marbel''s rxed mood shifted into a dark and dreary one in an instant. She opened her system to issue a warning.
¡°Everyone, this is an emergency. We need all avable teachers to scout the school. Also, send someone to the monitoring room. I am afraid we are under attack right now.¡±
Once that was done, Principal Marbel went out of the room.
Since this dungeon was artificially maintained, there was only one person who could help them out - Mark, the one responsible for all the technical stuff in the academy.
And Principal Marbel was sure that Mark would not dy helping them out as well. Especially since Horas was involved in this incident.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
Mark was currently having a shitty day. His experiments had failed and he did not have Horas to help him re-write and debug the system.
What was worse? There was no known source code for what he was trying to do so he could not look it up either. He was currently drawing a nk.
And his day just went from bad to worse when the door to his office was banged open by none other than Principal Marbel. It scared Mark enough to make him delete several hours of work.
¡°What the hell woman? Can you give me a warning when you decide to show up next time? You caused me so much harm in the process.¡±
Mark looked at hisptop with a mournful look on his face. He could not believe that he had not so much data.
However, Principal Marbel did not even have a hint of remorse on her face. In fact, she looked calm but determined when she walked in. Lady Heals, aka, Sarah Mills was also standing behind her with a determined expression on her face.
¡°We have an emergency. I need you to listen carefully.¡±
Mark listened to the Principal with half an ear at first and then his indifference turned into rm.
By the end, Mark was too annoyed and stressed to make much of anything. He knew this was a possibility but it did not make sense why the viins decided to make a move now of all times.
¡°How could you not check for this beforehand? And what were the overlookers doing not reporting this?¡±
Mark hissed as he opened his panel. He quickly opened a camera that showed the overlooker¡¯s room but it was a horrible mess.
The overlooker had been killed off and his hand was left reaching out for the rm button. The fact that no one had reported this until now was a shock to everyone in the room.
¡°Shit, we were outdone by the viins this time. We need to stop the test.¡±
Mark eximed as he quickly began to try and find a way to get everyone out of the dungeon.
It would take too long to get a team of high-level people restrained enough to go in. And there was also the chase that the F-ss dungeon would copse if it was stretched beyond its mana limit.
The tense silence in the room was broken by an emergency call. Principal Marbel opened the phone and quickly picked up the phone.
¡°P-Principal Marbel, we have instructor Harris suppressed and ready to send in. Should we proceed?¡±
The nervous instructor asked as she pointed toward Instructor Harris. The elder man was dressed up in his gear and ready to go.
¡°Instructor Harris, are you sure you will be alright alone? Due to the circumstances, sending any backup for you would be nearly impossible and-¡±
¡°I got it from here, old hag. I will make sure to put an end to the viin myself if I have to. No one messes with my students.¡±
Instructor Harris looked ready tomit crimes and Principal Marbel was not sure he would hold back enough to bring the viin back alive.
She just hoped that Instructor Harris would be aware enough to not injure any students. Dealing with viins was tricky after all.
¡°Alright, go ahead and make sure youe back soon.¡±
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
¡°Man, you are good. Are you sure you are seven years old?¡±
Horas¡¯s ssmate asked as she watched him dodge and engage Reed inbat. Her curious eyes followed Horas¡¯s moment as Reed pushed her bloody projectiles his way.
It was hard enough for Horas to dodge Reed without the runningmentary his ssmate was butting in. Horas did not even have stable ground to stop and shot at Reed.
¡®Ugh, dangers of being a long ranged fighter. I cannot do anything when I can¡¯t shift.¡¯
Horas was in a dangerous situation and Reed was about to pierce his arm when she stopped and changed the direction of her attack.
Her blood ended up scorching the ground a few meters away from where Horas¡¯s female ssmate was standing.
¡°Holy, I did not even notice you there Sylvia. Were you hoping to get a drop on me?¡±
Sylvia¡¯s hair looked haggard and she was also bleeding from the small wound that had been inflicted on her arm. But she looked alright overall.
¡°Fancy hearing that from a snake like you, Christi. After all, you are the one venturing around this ce and attacking teams. So what happened? Were the monsters too much for your taste?¡±
Sylvia taunted back as she brought her dual swords out of her inventory. She held them at ready to counter any attack.
And that ended up saving her life when Reed changed her target from Horas to Sylvia. Horas took this opportunity to shoot at Reed but her blood ended up forming a defensive barrier.
¡°Reed, what are you doing? Are you willing to kill people now?¡±
Horas questioned and he flinched outright as soon as those words left his mouth. He knew about Reed and her insecurities so Horas also knew that he should not have said those words.
He hesitated to look at Reed but he had to be brave and face the consequences of his actions.
Reed looked no different from before. There was no anger or disappointment in her eyes. There was not even a hint of recognition.
It was like Horas was looking at a doll right now and that did not sit right with him. Reed was someone with a lot of personality and attitude.
If she did not like something, she would let you know right away. Horas knew that much from experience.
¡°Don¡¯t bother. It¡¯s not like Reed is interested in us weak humans so we decided to make her ¡®interested¡¯ in us. She¡¯s finally being a good teammate and I would like to protect that.¡±
Christy finally decided to get involved, taking out her bow and arrow. She was a long-ranged fighter after all.
¡°Hey, did you drug a student? Christy, I knew you were scummy but those mind-controlling pills are harmful to use. Don¡¯t tell me you ended up using them. They will be traced back to your team.¡±
Christyughed a heartyugh as soon as she heard Sylvia speak.
¡°Those small pills have nothing on what we did. But there¡¯s no need for you to worry since you will be dying here right now. Maybe that will finally be enough to push Reed over the edge and stop resisting.¡±
Horas was offended on his friend¡¯s behalf. He did not like the fact that Christy was treating Reed as a pet that needed to be broken in.
But there was something weird about Sylvia. Her behavior and her words did not feel like a teen''s. There was cruelty behind her actions that could onlye with age.
¡°Don¡¯t tell me! Are you a viin pretending to be a student? Are you controlling Reed?¡±
Christy''s look was surprised before it turned into glee.
¡°Man, you are a little genius. I would have loved to take you with us as well but our only target is Reed Whinstone for today. But maybe you will also prove to be a good toy if you sit still and get brainwashed by us.¡±
Christy looked at trump as she signaled Reed to go ahead and deal with Horas and Sylvia.
Reed raised her hand and the blood followed. But before she could make a move, something hit her in her neck and Reed fell unconscious.
Christy looked taken aback but she was not able to flee the scene. She tried but ended up colliding with someone hard.
¡°Looks like we will have tob through the students as well now. Man, these viins are a pain in the ass.¡±
It was instructor Harris who ended up saving the day. But he was not alone.
Alicia and Tyson also arrived on the scene with two unconscious bodies. That was four of the five in Reed¡¯s team who had been caught.
¡°Sorry, thest one managed to escape our capture attempt. But at least we managed to round up the rest.¡±
Chapter 28 Ch 26: End To The Test [Pt2]
?Slowly but surely, Instructor Harris gathered everyone else that was left in the forest. Three were not too many students which was a shame but those who were left behind were strong and could take care of themselves.
Needless to say, they were not aware of what was happening and most of them did not take kindly to the exam being called.
Horas watched the instructors and teachers try and calm the remaining students down. No one will be ranked based on this test and instead, regr tests would be held again in an indoor controlled environment.
As for the students who had caused all this? It was safe to say that they were being detained by the facility and would be facing problems soon enough.
The only shame was that Reed would be held ountable as well, even when it had not been her fault. She was a victim as well.
¡°How are you doing Horas? I heard what happened from Principal Marbel what happened. Reed did not injure you too heavily, did she?¡±
Horas looked taken aback by the sudden question and decided to just say the truth.
¡°I won¡¯t say I am doing great but I am better than the others who got injured. I would like it more if I was allowed to meet Reed once though.¡±
Horas wanted to go back home to his real world. This world did not even feel real after two years of living here and he felt a sense of responsibility every time he saw this world.
Horas might not have written for Reed to be treated this horribly but he had paved her path as a viin. In that sense, he had a hand in what happened to her.
Mark looked at Horas with a sympathetic and annoyed expression. Horas diverted his eyes, not wanting to be subjected to these looks he was getting from the elder man.
¡°Horas, it is not your fault the viins targeted Reed but you cannot meet her right now. She¡¯s not in the right frame of mind and it will not be safe for you.¡±
Horas wanted to protest but he decided to hold himself back for now. He would get his chanceter, even if he had to sneak around to find that chance. He needed to meet Reed to gain closure.
He had written about Reed, but Horas knew nothing about her. He knew nothing about most of the people in this world. There was a sense of detachment between them and Horas.
¡°Ah, that reminds me. I got a message from Jack Hollow. He wants to know if you are willing to do him a favor this weekend. Should I reply to him for you?¡±
Horas did not pay attention to what Mark said at first. His mind was too busy thinking about Reed and her current situation.
But then he did pay attention and he flinched as soon as he registered Jack¡¯s name. Was it too much for Horas to ask to be left alone?
¡°Why did Jack decide to contact me out of the blue like this? I thought he finally decided to leave me alone two years ago.¡±
Horas had valid reasons to think that he had finally gained his freedom from Jack. The most prominent one was that Jack had not contracted him once in the past two years.
But that could be because Jack was busy establishing his guild. Finally taking over the formerly no. 1 guild - freedom. As such, Horas had heard that he was constantly in and out of dungeons.
He was almost like a man possessed.
¡°I don¡¯t know what he wants and I don¡¯t want you to meet him either. But the choice is yours. And with everything that has happened¡.I do think you need a good distraction in your life.¡±
Horas did not know if he needed a distraction or something more. He wanted to talk with Reed before he made a decision. His emotions were all over the ce right now.
¡°....¡±
In front of Horas, Reed and others in her team were taken away and put into confinement. They would not be able to see the outside world again until the investigation was finished.
And Reed, who knew what kind of mental state she was in?
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
After much begging and pleading, Horas finally got permission to go and visit Reed. But that was only because he was not a threat and Reed was chipped and deprived of her powers.
She was no better than a powerless teen and her state was reflected in front of Horas.
It had only been a day for Horas but he could swear that Reed had lost weight and her eyes had dark circles beneath them. She was looking older than she was.
¡°Reed, are you alright?¡±
Reed did not answer Horas but that had to be expected. Her mind was still half-asleep under the mind control she had been thrown into. It had tired her brain out and she was slow in response.
Sometimes, she even refused to recognize people who were in front of her and the doctor had even ssified her as an ¡®urgent¡¯ case.
¡°Reed, of course, you are not alright. But I am happy to see you alive at least.¡±
Even if Horas knew that Reed would survive, it still did not mean he was not worried. The future could change at any given moment and it could deviate from the one Horas knew.
He knew he should not risk it, but he could not help his selfish desires.
¡°Alive? If this is living then I don¡¯t want to live. What did I ever do to these kids to be treated like this? It was not me who attacked them.¡±
Horas looked up with a jolt at Reed¡¯s words. As far as he knew, these were the first words Reed had spoken out aloud.
¡°Reed, are you alright? Can you hear me?¡±
Horas tried to get Reed to respond. If she could speak now, then that meant that she had enough self-awareness to respond to him. She coulde back from this.
¡°No, I am not alright. I am sick and tired of humanity. I thought I could keep hanging on because of you but I cannot any longer. For every decent human I meet, there are 10 horrible ones. I can¡¯t keep going on.¡±
Reed was losing it. Her voice was calm and cold to not trigger the rms but her words were devoid of any light.
Horas knew she was breaking but he could not do anything to help. Anything he said now would sound like empty promises.
¡°I am sorry. I wish I could help you.¡±
Horas felt helpless. Reed¡¯s experience with humans was different than his. But even Horas had sent the ugly side of humans in this world. He could not defend them in earnest.
Especially with what happened to Reed.
After investigation, it had been found that the main culprit behind what happened had been an ordinary student who thought to use Reed. it was sad but also true.
Reed deserved to hate and curse those who had harmed her.
¡°Horas, you are a good kid so I need you to stay away from me for the time being. Being with me will get you in trouble.¡±
Reed¡¯s words were devoid of light but Horas had a feeling something was about to happen.
Horas knew that Reed would end up joining the viins and he was satisfied with her life there. He wanted to stop Reed but was that worth asking Reed to give up her final peace for?
¡®I thought I could do it before. But the more I get to know Reed, the more I think it¡¯ll be better for her there.¡¯
Since Viins were a dangerous group, they did not fear others with dangerous abilities.
Reed would be treated like a human being there. And that was more than Horas could say about the adventurer¡¯s side. He would have to let her go.
¡°I know I cannot stop you from making your decisions but I do wish you happiness. Here, keep it with you for safekeeping.¡±
Horas passed a small gem to Reed. It looked like an ordinary gem at first nce but Reed looked up in shock as soon as she received it.
It seemed like she had noticed the small trigger by ident. No one else except those who receive it would know what it was about.
¡°Horas, are you sure? You might get in trouble if you are noticed.¡±
Reed sounded worried about Horas and it was nice to see. But Horas had already made his decision to help her out.
¡°Huh? Noticed? About what? I will be out of school this weekend so I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡±
Horas had not been willing to take Jack Hollow¡¯s offer but now he had a reason to take it. No one would be able to point fingers at him if he was out of the academy when the break-out happened.
Besides, the guards had checked his gem and had not found anything suspicious. Horas would have to thank Mark for all his help once he was back. It was all thanks to him that Reed would be able to escape. Mark was the biggest contributor this time for sure and Horas will have to gift him something.
Chapter 29 Ch 27: Jack Hollows Plan [Pt1]
?The weekend arrived far sooner than Horas had wanted it to. He wanted to rest around for a few days more before he had to face Jack Hollow.
But in the end, no one could stop time from flowing. Horas had to keep the promise he made as well.
¡°I don¡¯t like it. Horas, can¡¯t you just back out of going with Jack? Don¡¯t you remember what happened thest time you went with him?¡±
Mark questioned Horas even while typing on the screen. The elder man had a valid reason to fear for Horas¡¯s life and Horas groaned out in irritation.
Maybe it had not been a good idea to tell Mark about his first day out with Jack. It had been a slip of tongue for Horas but Mark had taken it personally. Ever since that day, Mark had cursed Jack out every time he could.
¡°I know what you are worried about Mark. But it¡¯s been two years since Jack first took me out. I am much stronger and much more capable than before. You need to trust me a little more.¡±
Horas tried to make Mark feel better but his words rang hollow. No matter how much Horas said he improved, both he and Mark knew that the growth had not been enough.
Even now, Horas had not graduated from being F-ss. And his level was still below 5. He was resourceful and intelligent but Horas was not ¡®strong¡¯ in any way.
¡°Mark, I know what you are going to say but I want to do this. I cannot keep on running away from Jack Hollow my whole life. He is someone who is managing my parent¡¯s guild.¡± (even if the man ended up taking full control of it by now.)
Mark sighed when he heard Horas¡¯s words. It had taken them two years to establish this trust between them and Horas had finally told Mark the truth about his parentage.
¡°Fine, do what you want to. But make sure toe back alive and unharmed this time.¡±
Horas¡¯s heart felt tight and hot when he heard Mark¡¯s words. He wanted to go over to Mark and give him a tight hug but Mark would have an episode if Horas did that.
The elder man was not too fond of physical contact and he hardly ever initiated. So it was a surprise when Mark gently ruffled Horas¡¯s hair.
¡°Take care kid.¡±
Horas looked up, only to notice Mark looking away with a small blush on his face. This adult could be so dishonest at times.
¡°Sure, I wille back with a gift. Otherwise, you will surely pout like the child you are.¡±
¡°Hey, I am not a child-¡±
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
¡°Jack, what are you doing?¡±
Jack did not pay any heed to Principal Marbel¡¯s question as he continued to solve the small cube in his hands. It was a puzzle he had picked up in the dungeon he hadst visited.
Principal Marbel was getting picked off by theck of acknowledgment and Jack enjoyed her anger and annoyance.
¡°Jack Hollow, how long are you going to keep ignoring me like this? Do you want to end up making an enemy of me?¡±
Principal Marbel decided she would not take any more of this humiliation and ended up banging her hand hard on the desk. It caused a small crack to form and Jack suppressed a flinch.
As much as he liked ticking people off, he did not want his bones to be broken just as he hade out of the dungeon. He still needed to carry out his n after all.
¡°I am sorry if it feels like I have been ignoring you, Principal Marbel. This puzzle from the dungeon Ist visited was just a little too interesting for me to leave. But my attention is all yours now.¡±
Principal Marbel¡¯s ticked-off expression did not change even a single bit. She looked even more annoyed with Jack than before.
¡°Your attention is the reason I find you annoying in the first ce. Tell me, why did you decide to invite Horas Spencer out after two years? I thought you wanted to leave him alone?¡±
Principal Marbel had good reasons to ask this question. Horas was a good student of her academy and she liked him.
Besides, the timing for Jack¡¯s invitation could not have been worse. A huge incident had just happened and Horas had been a part of it. As such, he needed to be kept under surveince due to his rtionship with Reed Whinstone.
¡°Aww, don¡¯t be like that Principal Marbel. We are both guild leaders so our current status is simr to one another. I would rather have you as a friend-¡±
¡°Jack Hollow.¡±
¡°It¡¯s because I want Horas Spencer to be aware of his younger brother. It will be good for his physical and mental development to know that he still has family left in this world.¡±
Principal Marbel did not believe Jack Hollow¡¯s words even for a single second. Jack could see the disbelief as well as suspicion in her eyes.
It was fair of her to be thinking like this. Jack would not have believed his words either had he been in her position.
But Jack needed his n to go through. The main reason was that Howard Spencer was special and his potential was limitless. But to unlock it, he would need a rival as well as a friend.
Now, Jack could mold someone into that role if he wanted to but his ability pointed out Horas Spencer to be the best option he had. Jack had been meaning to get them closer but then the guild business had started for him.
In the end, two years had passed before he could take action.
¡°Principal Marbel, don¡¯t give me that look. I promise that I am not nning anything suspicious or harmful. I genuinely want to help these kids out.¡±
Jack knew nothing he could say would make Principal Marbel lower her guard in front of him. Jack felt the res stabbing into his head.
Just as it seemed that Principal Marble would finally lose it, the door opened and Horas walked in. He looked suspicious of Horas as well but overall did not seem to be worried about much.
¡°Let¡¯s go before your principal loses it, kid. I can tell that she doesn¡¯t like me much to begin with.¡±
Jack Hollow took Horas away before anyone could react. He did even entertain the thought that Horas might decline his outing offer.
Not that Horas cared about it. He was using Jack just as Jack was using him. They were off toward Jack Hollow¡¯s car.
¡°We are not going directly to meet my brother, right? You are not that forgiving after all.¡±
Horas interrogated Jack as soon as they entered his soundproof car. And Jack had to say that he was taken aback by Horas¡¯s question.
The kid was good, and he had also caught on to what Jack had been trying to do with him. He had also guessed that the real reason Jack was here was because of his brother.
Jack was once again reminded of why he liked this kid. Horas Spencer was far too smart for his age and far too mature to be called a child.
¡°Horas, you break my heart. I was here because I missed you and it has been two years already. Can¡¯t you cut me some ck and let your guard down?¡±
Jack tried to joke around and lighten the mood, but Horas did not seem to find him funny.
¡°You can cut your joking out since I know you are not here for me. If you want my cooperation, you better tell me why you are here and what you want from me.¡±
Jack¡¯s yful smile fell from his face. This seven-year-old was too smart for his good and Jack decided to stop pretending.
His powers were telling him that Horas Spencer would understand him if he told Horas the truth. But Jack¡¯s moral code (even if it was fucked up) did not want to impair the knowledge he knew to a child.
¡°Are you conflicted because I am a child? I did not know that someone of your bearing would have such concerns regarding me. I cannot believe Jack Hollow is being concentrated on someone.¡±
Jack was getting triggered by Horas¡¯s words but he kept his cool. The more Horas spoke, the more he appeared as an adult to Jack¡¯s senses. He was confused but his senses had never been wrong.
That could only mean that something was wrong with the child in front of him. Was Horas Spencer not a kid?
Horas was rxing one moment and he had Jacking after his throat the next. It was difficult for Horas to breathe once Jack¡¯s hands closed around his throat and squeezed lightly.
¡°Who are you? What did you do to the kid named Horas Spencer? You better not lie because my abilities will tell me if you do.¡±
Fear shed across Horas¡¯s face and he tried to speak. But Jack¡¯s grip was too tight to allow that and Horas felt like he was choking.
¡®Oh god, I am going to die today, aren¡¯t I? I don¡¯t want to die. I want to just go back home.¡¯
Chapter 30 Ch 28: Jack Hollows Plan [Pt2]
?¡°Who are you? What did you do to the kid named Horas Spencer? You better not lie because my abilities will tell me if you do.¡±
Horas¡¯s neck was getting crushed. His hands tried to push Jack¡¯s hands away but Horas had no strength in his arms currently.
¡°I a-am Ho..r¡as¡Sp..en..ce¡r¡±
Horas could barely get his words out of his mouth when he was let go of them. Jack¡¯s face had an almost shocked look when he noticed the bruises on Horas¡¯s neck. It seemed like he had used his powers to see if Horas was telling the truth or not.
¡°I s-see. My apologies for what I did. It seems like the dungeon Ist went into made me a little more sensitive than I needed to be. Once again, I apologize.¡±
Horas looked at the shocked man in front of him. Now that he looked closer, Jack Hollow did not look stable and his eyes were dting.
It was almost as if he was over-using his ability to find the truth behind Horas¡¯s current condition.
¡°You know, your apologies are good and all but I still need an exnation from you. What do you want from me?¡±
Horas was not going to let Jack Hollow get out of answering his questions so easily. He needed answers regarding what Jack Hollow knew and why he was so busy pushing Horas around.
¡®What ability did I give Jack Hollow again?¡¯
Horas wanted to remember but it was just noting to him. Did he ever even properly define it? There had been so many things he had taken for granted when he wrote the novel and now he regretted it.
¡°You are not like a child and that threw me off. You are right to say that I should tell you what I am nning if I want you to cooperate.¡±
¡°Horas Spencer, how much do you believe in ¡®fate¡¯ and ¡®destiny?¡¯ what would you say if I tell you that everything in this world is ¡®pre-determined¡¯? And that no matter what we did to change it, things would find a way to return to their destined path.¡±
Horas felt his brain shut down for a second there.
Jack spoke almost as if he knew that he was in a fictional world that followed a story someone wrote.
¡°Pre-determined? What do you mean by that?¡±
Horas asked the question in hopes that maybe he was wrong and had misunderstood Jack¡¯s words.
Jack looked disappointed but not overly so by Horas¡¯s question. Instead, he had a determined expression on his face and he started to exin.
¡°Take our world as a river of sorts. No matter what we do, it will continue to flow. Even if we ce a rock in between or build a dam, it will eventually go back to its course. This is our current world.¡±
¡°And what will happen if we cause it to deviate? Won¡¯t an obstacle ¡®too big¡¯ cause it to change paths toward a new one?¡±
Jack finally smiled but it was not a reassuring smile.
¡°Well, who knows if its end destination would be a blessing or a disaster, right? Do you know that my current ability allows me to see these ¡®small fates¡¯ and see where the world is heading? But once, just once did I see it - a deviated fate that was worse than anything I could ever imagine. It was-¡±
¡°No stop. Don¡¯t tell anything to me since I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡±
Horas was interested in Jack¡¯s talk but he also did not want to listen to it. He was going to go back home as soon as he could.
What happened to this world did not concern him at all. Horas would not burden himself unnecessarily with the burden of this foreign knowledge.
¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t want to know then I will not burden you with the knowledge of it. I will just tell you what I want you to do¡±
¡°My abilities told me that ¡®Howard Spencer¡¯ would be someone extremely important for this world¡¯s protection. As such, we need to ensure he cultivates his abilities and ovees the uing disaster for the human race.¡±
¡°But he¡¯s a little special and would not be able to reach his potential alone. What he needs is a ¡®rival¡¯ and that is where youe in.¡±
Horas was starting to get a headache just by listening to Jack¡¯s words. Anyone else would havebeled Jack as a lunatic and stopped listening to him already.
*cough*
¡°Anyway, I will not ask you to believe me and my crazy talks if you don¡¯t want to. I was just answering your question because I felt bad for injuring you. Once again, it is my fault so I will like to ask you for forgiveness.¡±
Jack collected himself once he noticed that his ¡®speech¡¯ was getting out of his hand.
Horas was not sure if he believed Jack fully or not but it did seem like Jack knew a lot about this world.
His words also concerned Horas since there seemed to be some truth behind them and that was the problem. Did the fate of this world truly not change? Then, what would it mean for Horas who only knew a portion of it?
Will he have to go ahead in life blind?
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
It was a silent but stressful ride after that confession from Jack Hollow. The man was pretending like nothing ever happened between the pair and Horas preferred it like that as well.
Meanwhile, Jack took Horas to a familiar ce. Horas had hoped to never see this ce again.
¡°The orphanage? Are we here to see Howard?¡±
¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you want to see your brother?¡±
The question came out of Horas¡¯s mouth on its own and his startled expression said that he had not meant to ask that question. Howard was a chapter in Horas¡¯s life he wanted to close.
Howard Spencer was going to have a happy ending by the time this story ended. Horas needed not to be a part of that story for Howard to attain happiness.
And somewhere inside Horas, he did not want to take responsibility for Howard Spencer and form a bond with him. Every time he thought about leaving his ¡®brother¡¯ behind, something terrible and overwhelming arose in Horas¡¯s mind.
It could not help but make him wonder if he had left his family behind in his original world. He might not be able to consciously remember, but maybe his subconscious did and it was reacting to his fears from before.
¡°It¡¯s nothing like that. I just¡I told you that it would be better for Howard Spencer to grow up without having any knowledge of his brother. He will be able to start fresh that way.¡±
¡®And so will I.¡¯
Horas was beyond selfish for believing this but he did not care. It was human nature to try and lessen one¡¯s uing pain.
¡°I see. It seems that your beliefs fromst time have not changed. But since we¡¯re here already, we might as well take a look around, right? We should not let this trip be wasted.¡±
Horas wanted to take a step back from the unnatural grin that appeared on Jack¡¯s face. He did not like it one bit and he wanted to run.
But there was nowhere to run and the only way for Horas to go back to Esper¡¯s academy was through Jack Hollow. Horas was too young to have money in hand anyway.
¡®Darn. I need to set up a way to earn money once I am back in the academy. I will have to ask Mark to help me out.¡¯
Money had not been an issue for Horas this far but he would be in trouble once he would need to buy resources for his magic and other experiments. He could not keep on leeching off Mark forever.
¡°Cheer up Yohan and enjoy your time here. You will be sounding time doingmunity service in the orphanage while I attend a meeting nearby. Ah, herees the person I had been looking for. Miss Julie, we are here.¡±
Horas froze once he heard Julie¡¯s name. Once he turned around, he was not surprised to see that it was the same ¡®Julie¡¯ he knew - Howard¡¯s foster mother.
And she did not look d to see Jack.
¡°M-Mister Jack. What brings you here? Howard is still too young for your program so let¡¯s not speak about it now.¡±
Julie looked ufortable when she talked to Jack and Horas could rte. The elder man had a way to make anyone nervous.
¡°Of course, I know that Howard Spencer is too young and I will respect your wishes. I am not here for that today. You see, I have a small meeting right now so I need someone to look after my student. Do you think you can do that?¡±
Julie looked confused before she looked down and noticed Horas. She seemed not to have recognized him which was good.
¡°This is Horas, a student of mine. I¡¯ll collect him in the evening, so can you take care of him?¡±
¡°Yeah sure. If that¡¯s all then I can help you out.¡±
Julie agreed easily, not recognizing Horas at all. It was going to be an eventful day.
Chapter 31 Ch 29: A Bad Encounter [Pt1]
?¡°Jack, wait-¡±
Horas tried to hold Jack back but the elder man was out of the door before Horas was finished speaking. Jack could be so swift when he needed to be.
¡®Ugh, I do not want to be here. I am sure I will be treated like a child as long as I am here.¡¯
Horas hated to be treated like a child and not be taken seriously. And he was aware that it would be worse here than at the academy.
At least, he had proven himself in the academy and everyone knew not to treat him like a child. But no one knew who he was here and that made thingsplicated.
¡°That man is always in a hurry so don¡¯t mind it. I am sure he will be back before you know it, Horas. So for now, let me take you around the orphanage and you can decide what you want to do next.¡±
Horas recognized those words for what they were - give up and do as we say.¡¯
It was vexing but effective at getting Horas toply. It was just easier to get along with what the adults wanted from him. It would protect him in the longer run.
¡°Here, you have fun in this yground as well. This is where most of our youngsters spend their time. I am sure a healthy child like yourself would be able to make friends here.¡±
Horas very much doubted that. This yground was made for toddlers and young children.
Now, Horas might look like a young child but he had a trained body. He would have to be careful not to break things here.
¡®Ugh, what a mess. I guess I better find a corner to nap in.¡¯
Yohan sat down on the bench and looked at the children ying in front of him. Many saw him as well but were vary to approach him.
After all, he was weirdly dressed and someone unknown as well. He would not have approached himself as well if he was in their situation
Horas used this opportunity to rx and close his eyes. He could just fall asleep right now and no one would be the wiser. And Horas doubted that anyone would care to cause him trouble.
¡¡¡¡..¡¡¡¡..
¡°Hey, are you sure we should do this? We might get in trouble if he gets angry at us.¡±
¡°Rx Emma. Just believe in me and woah - look at my masterpiece.¡±
Horas was woken up by hands on his face. Someone was touching him and feeling his face up.
Horas would have woken up in panic upon the realization of that foreign touch if not for the light touch on his face. Not to mention, the one touching him had small and curious hands. It was easy to tell that they were kids.
¡°H-Howard, maybe we should not do that. What if he wakes up?¡±
¡°Emma, stop being scared of everything and help me out here. What do you think of using this-?¡±
Horas finally decided to wake up and the two children near his face almost screamed in fright. They were small, barely three years old but there was something familiar about their looks.
If not for them saying each other¡¯s names, Horas would not have recognized them at all.
¡®That girl, she¡¯s Emma Dew. Her blond hair and green eyes are just as I imagined them being when I wrote her.¡¯
Never mind that she was a child right now, Horas felt like he knew who she was just at the first nce.
And if there was a familiarity when looking at Emma, it was nothingpared to looking at Howard Spencer, his younger brother.
It was like looking at a familiar and foreign object at the same time. He had changed a lot from the newborn he had been when Horasst saw him but he had grown up just as Horas had expected him to.
¡®ck hair and a small face which contain definite blue eyes. The savior of this world and the protagonist.¡¯
¡°P-Please forgive us. W-We did not mean to offend you and- Emma run.¡±
Howard looked startled to see Horas awake and he quickly made a run for it along with Emma. Horas was not concerned about them until he noticed that they had left the orphanage grounds.
¡®Shit! Are they running toward the outside? What about the barrier - oh yeah, the protagonist has an inborn immunity to mana.¡¯
Horas realized toote that things were bad but Howard and Emma were out of the grounds by that time. This was not an incident Horas had written about.
Or at least, he did not remember doing it. But maybe it was one of the smaller details his memory had seen fit to forget.
¡°What should I do now? Should I get an adult here? No, let¡¯s not involve adults and make thingsplicated. I can go out and get them back on my own.¡±
Horas was not too keen about getting adult help in this world. They could often cause the situation to be worse. And Horas did not want to exin why two kids had run after seeing him awake.
¡®So annoying. I hate being a kid so much.
¡¡¡¡..¡¡¡¡..
¡°H-Howard, how long are we going to keep running for? My legs are starting to feel numb now.¡±
¡°Sorry, Emma. I guess I should not have grabbed you and run like that. You had nothing to do with what I did.¡±
Howard felt sorry for the friend he had dragged along behind him. But he could not have stopped himself from following his instincts.
There had been something familiar about that elder child and Howard¡¯s curiosity had gotten the better of him. He had ended up approaching the sleeping child and then gotten into trouble.
¡°N-No, it¡¯s alright. I am your friend so I want to be with you. I trust you.¡±
Emma¡¯s words of encouragement made Howard feel better and then he realized that he had run quite far from the orphanage. He had never meant to leave the ground when he had gotten scared away.
¡°E-Emma, don¡¯t get scared but I don¡¯t think we are at home anymore. I don¡¯t recognize this ce.¡±
Howard looked around at the empty parking lot he had dragged Emma into. He did not recognize the area and now he was scared.
¡°H-Howard, what should we do now? How do we get back home?¡±
Howard was scared but he knew he could not show it. If he showed that he was scared when he will not be able to reassure Emma anymore. He needed to be brave and strong.
And just when things were starting to get bad, Howard felt someone looking at them. He looked up sharply, only to notice a pair of red eyes on him.
¡°Hello, children. Are you lost and trying to find a way back home? Why don¡¯t you let this sister help you out?¡±
Howard looked up at the teenager who had approached him and Emma to help them out. She was beautiful at first nce and looked kind as well.
But there was something about her energy that warded Howard off. He knew instinctively not to trust this teenager. And his instincts made Howard, not like her.
¡°Y-You will help us out? You will truly help us out?¡±
Emma asked, truly taken in by the kindness of this stranger. But Howard was not going to be fooled. He held Emma back by her hand when she started to move toward the teenager.
¡°Emma, wait. Sister Julie always said not to trust strangers out here. Maybe we should look for a way back ourselves.¡±
Howard was not going to let Emma fall into a trap.
The teenager had an annoyed expression on her face which melted into a sweet one as soon as Emma looked at her. This sister was good at pretending to be a good person.
¡°A, don¡¯t be like that. Look, if you cannot trust me because I am helping you out for free, then how about you do something for me in return? Would that make me more trustworthy?¡±
The teen¡¯s smiling face looked so harmless that even Howard was beginning to feel like his senses were mistaken. Would it truly be so bad for him to trust this teenager?
¡°Howard, m-maybe we should let sister help us. And I-I am sure it¡¯ll be alright if we help her in return, right? I-It won¡¯t be a random act of kindness then, it¡¯ll be a deal. And my parents say that deals are binding.¡±
Emma was from a rich family, but she was often left in the orphanage since it also acted as a daycare for other families.
Howard knew that Emma¡¯s parents were rich and influential so that also meant that they must be right. It was the wed logic of a kid that made Howard discard his instincts and trust the female.
¡°A-Alright, we will help you and then you can help us. So, who are you?¡±
¡°Me? You can call me Eurika. It¡¯s nice to meet you both.¡±
Eureka was smiling calmly and there was nothing malicious about her smile. But Howard still got chills down his spine when he watched her. He did not like this sister.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let''s head out so that you can help me out, alright?"
Chapter 32 Ch 30: A Bad Encounter [Pt2]
?¡®Shit, where did those two go? They are kids. They should not be able to travel this fast.¡¯
In hindsight, Horas realized that it would have been better to inform an adult about what happened and get their help.
Even if there was more than likely a chance that he would be held ountable for what happened, Howard and Emma would have been found out easily by now. But it was toote to go back and ask for help now.
¡°Just where did the kids go? Did they disappear into the city?¡±
Horas panted as he came to a stop. His legs were killing him due to all the running he had to do. He was parched so he headed over to the local park to find a water fountain.
Bliss filled his being once the sweet taste of water hit Horas¡¯s mouth. He had not realized how parched he had been until then.
¡°-don¡¯t trust you. Are you sure it¡¯s safe?¡±
Horas heard the familiar voice of Howard and immediately took off. It had been a stroke of luck unlike any he had before.
¡°I am sure it¡¯s safe. Why don¡¯t you trust this big sister? I told you I was not helping you out for free so you can trust me, alright?¡±
Horas quickly walked out of the bush he had been hiding behind. His sudden presence startled the teenager and she almost yelled out loud.
Ultimately, she held her scream in and turned toward Horas with an angry expression.
¡°Fuck man, you scared me. Who are you? Another lost kid? Sorry, but I don¡¯t have time to help you out here. I am too busy helping these kids out already. So you should go back and look for someone else to help you out, alright?¡±
The teenager tried to make Horas go away but Horas did not even pay her any mind.
He looked at Howard and Emma¡¯s small faces and how they refused to look at him. It seemed they were still afraid of him for no reason.
¡°Howard, Emma, I am here to apany you both back. And before you make assumptions, I am not angry at you for what happened before.¡±
Horas made his voice calm and pleasant. Howard and Emma looked uncertain but then they shared a look and took a step toward him.
¡°Y-You are not mad I painted your face? B-But others usually do not like it when I do that.¡±
Howard was a little hesitant when he stepped out. He looked and sounded so young that Horas was taken aback.
¡®Ah right, Howard is a kid right now. I need to stop confusing him with the future protagonist all the time.¡¯
¡°Yeah, I am not mad. Nowe to me so that we can go back home. I am sorry miss, for all the trouble they caused you this far. I will take over their safety from here.¡±
Horas bowed in front of the angry teenager. Her face might have been nk but her aura shed with a burning desire for destruction.
Eurike quickly stepped in front of Howard and Emma, effectively cutting their escape route. But despite that, she seemed to be ring at Horas this whole time.
¡°You are still a kid, kid. And since I am a responsible person, I will not leave these two in your care. How can I know that you can protect them?¡±
Eureka was smart to hold her anger in. She knew she needed these kids and she also had the upper hand right now.
Even if the authorities were to interfere, they would side with her since she was a responsible elder in this case.
However, all her expectations came crashing down when the child in front of her refused to back down and pulled up his wrist. Light shined from it and showed a familiar logo along with an information screen.
¡°I am ttered by your concern, Miss. But I assure you that I am more than capable of taking care of myself and these kids. Since I am a student of the Esper¡¯s academy, I can-¡±
¡°So what? Just because you belong to a fancy school, does that mean I should back down? Go to hell. Well, I only needed one of the kids so she will do.¡±
Eureka lost it once she realized that she no longer had the upper hand. She even picked up Emma and decided to make a run for it.
It happened too fast for Horas to react in time. By the time he realized what happened, Howard was running after Eureka and Emma.
¡®Ah shit. I knew something bad would happen if I get tangled up with the protagonist. Why did Howard have to approach me and then run away?¡¯
Things did not make much sense for Howard but he still decided to keep on following after Howard and Eurike. He did feel a little bit of responsibility for what happened.
They ran past the main city and into the abandoned area. It seemed charred and uninhabited for quite some time. Horas was sure that there had to be a reason Eureka had run out here.
[[[Warning: approaching an unauthorized F-ss dungeon.]]]
¡°Shit, this is bad. Howard Spencer, stop right now.¡±
Howard either did not listen to him or he did not seem to care. Horas had to take hold of Howard¡¯s hand to forcefully stop him from entering the dungeon. Eureka looked back at them before running into the dungeon, taking Emma inside with her.
¡®This run-down ce, this kidnapping case. Something is familiar about it all. But what am I not remembering.¡¯
The more stress Horas put on his brain, the more he felt like he could remember writing something like this in the story.
¡°W-What do we do now? E-Emma was taken away. What will happen to Emma now?¡±
Howard was panicking as he struggled to get out of Horas¡¯s grasp. Horas was getting tired of carrying the kid as well so he let the kid escape his grasp. But he did not let Howard run away once he was free.
¡°I know what you are thinking kid, but there is nothing you can do even if you go into that dungeon. The best course of action for us would be to go back and call for help-¡±
¡°But what about Emma? What will happen to her? What if Eureka hurts Emma?¡±
Howard¡¯s fears were legit. Eureka did not feel like a good person and the chances of her being from the viin fraction were high.
¡®But I cannot risk Howard¡¯s safety like this. He¡¯s the future protagonist, the hope of this world. He needs to live even if another character get¡¯s sacrificed for him. Otherwise, I will never be able to go back home.¡¯
Horas was a selfish person so he made a decision.
¡°Alright kid, let¡¯s have a deal. I will go after Emma if you promise to stay here and call for help. I did send a message to exin to the orphanage what is happening so the police will be here soon. Make sure you go back with them.¡±
Horas stressed his words out but he could see that Howard was still worried.
¡°B-But I need to help. This is my fault-¡±
¡°This is not your fault. This situation is no one¡¯s fault so don¡¯t start. But if you do want to help, then stay out here for the police and tell them what happened.¡±
Howard looked taken aback by Horas¡¯s sudden re in temper. He looked hesitant but determined.
¡°A-Alright, I will stay here. B-But just until the police arrive, alright?¡±
Howard bargained but Horas was not worried. It was unlike that the police would allow Howard to go anywhere once he was in their custody.
Especially more so since Horas had messaged Jack Hollow as well and informed him what had happened. The elder man cared about Howard a lot and he would make sure Howard was alright.
¡°Alright Howard, it¡¯s a deal then. Oh, and if anyone asks, my name is Horas. Make sure you give the police my name as well as this card.¡±
Horas handed over his identity card to Howard. The kid could likely not read it but the police would be able to identify him as an Esper student. It will help verify his im of an emergency.
Howard looked conflicted but determined at the same time.
¡°A-Alright, I will do as you asked.¡±
Horas smiled a small smile before he entered the dungeon. Unlike the previous ones, Horas had no idea what he would be facing there but he was determined to save Emma.
She was an important character in the future and her father¡¯s financial support would matter a lot.
Not to mention, her brother would y a big role in the future as well so Horas needed her to live if he could.
¡°Time to save the damsel in disaster. Man, I wish I will not have to do this anymore in the future.¡±
Horas stepped into the dark cave that started the dungeon and instantly felt the atmosphere change. The air was heavy and dry, and there seemed to be no light that prated the cave¡¯s surface.
But despite all that, there seemed to be no loss of vision once you stepped in. it truly was a marvel - this dungeon.
Chapter 33 Ch 31: The F-Class Dungeon, Is It?
?Leaving Howard out into a dangerous ce had been a tough decision for Horas to make but he knew he had to do it. It would not be right for an adult like him to involve a kid.
Still, Howard had to say that he was impressed with the interior of this dungeon. The cave looked like it had no source of light inside it.
As such, Horas should not have been able to see anything. But his vision seemed not to be impaired in any way. He could see even the smallest of the details here.
¡°Ugh, if only I had a map of this ce. But this is uncharted territory so I am not surprised.¡±
Generally, the system was designed to automatically scan its database for the dungeon type and all rted information as soon as you stepped in one. But uncharted territory like this did not have any data.
¡®Tsk, it most is a fresh domain for it to not even have a name. What am I supposed to do now?¡¯
Horas¡¯s initial n had been toe in here, look for Emma and Eureka, and then somehow manage to take Emma back out.
But it seemed easier to n than to execute. Even navigating this ce was a pain for Horas to deal with.
¡®Think Horas think. You wrote this world so there must be something you can utilize to find your way around.¡¯
But despite Horas wrecking his brain for an answer, he could not find one. He had never written for the protagonist to get lost in an uncharted dungeon (even if they hade up in the story) so he was going in blind.
Horas was about to give up on a n and start roaming around when he noticed a shadow heading in from behind him. It did not take long for a person to appear.
The walker seemed like a young adult, barely out of his teens. He had a neat appearance and a sophisticated way of walking. It was easy to tell that this adult had lived avish life.
Looking at him, Horas could notice how ¡®out of ce¡¯ this young man looked as he entered this cave. He was not suited for such dark and shabby ces at all. But still, he was down here and it was a matter of concern.
Horas quickly hid behind a big boulder to be out of sight for the time behind. Once the young adult made his way ahead, Horas decided to follow behind him.
¡®Well, it could not be any worse than being lost in here.¡¯
Horas followed behind that unknown young adult with swift steps. He wanted to not lose sight of his only guide in this foreign ce.
And the more he followed this young adult, the more he realized that he had hit the jackpot. This man knew exactly where he was headed.
Soon the cave finally ended and opened up into a central open space. It was huge with a lot of rocky pirs aligned to form a weird formation. The weirder part was - there had been no monster in this dungeon.
All it contained was its endless corridors and a huge central altar.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
Howard resisted the urge to go into the dungeon with all his might. He had promised to wait for the police after all.
¡®Would Emma be alright? She will not be hurt, right? She has to be alive or I-¡¯
Howard Spencer was afraid of what would happen to Emma inside the dungeon. He had heard that these dungeons were dangerous and often got people killed. Even his parents had died as a result of one.
Howard did not want to lose anyone else but he had made a promise to Horas to stay out here.
¡®Horas said that everything would be alright. I need to believe in him.¡¯
Howard stayed put until the police came. Leading the police was a vaguely familiar face Howard was sure he had seen before.
¡®Ah, the man who often talks with miss Julie and makes her mad. I don¡¯t like this man.¡¯
Howard could not exin it, but he got bad vibes whenever he looked at this man. Miss Julie had called him Jack Hollow and even called him a ¡®friend of his parents.¡¯
But Howard was not sure if he wanted to trust this adult or not. He just felt ¡®off¡¯ to his senses.
¡°Howard, thank god you are alright. I cannot believe Horas took *you* of all people to a dungeon. At least he had enough sense to call me before something happened.¡±
Jack sounded more annoyed than worried. The police force around them started to get to work and investigate the dungeon. But they did not enter since they did not have enough clearance to enter the dungeon.
¡°Are you going to save Horas and Emma? Emma got taken in by Eureka and Horas went after her.¡±
Howard tried to exin how it was not Horas¡¯s fault that this situation urred. But he was not able to get his thoughts across clearly.
Either that or Jack Hollow seemed not to care for what he said and had already formed opinions about what happened here.
¡°Alright kid, I got it. We will investigate what happened here properly so you should rx now.¡±
¡°B-But Emma and Horas-¡±
¡°Will be alright. See, we are sending some *actual* adults in there to help out. Everything will be alright.¡±
Jack Hollow¡¯s strong frame stood in front of Howard. He looked reliable and gentle right now and it should have reassured Howard. But all it did was make him feel a sense of dread.
Something was going to happen which would cause a lot of trouble. For some reason, Howard could not shake away this feeling of things being ¡®wrong¡¯ no matter how much he tried to.
And through his experience, Howard learned one important lesson - when he had such a feeling, something bad ended up happening to the people around him.
¡®Everything is wrong here. I don¡¯t feel so good right now. Am I sick?¡¯
Of course, a child such as Howard did not know anything about instincts and gut feeling so he was not able to tell what he was feeling.
All he could do was clutch his chest and look at the dungeon in front of him. It was scary to look at, but tempting as well. It was calling out to him and-
¡°Don¡¯t look at this dungeon, kid. Now that I see it, I have to admit that Horas was right. There is something weird about this F-ss dungeon. I hope my suppressores soon so that I can head in myself to check the situation.¡±
Jack Hollow was not one to often go in himself but he could not help it this time.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
¡°You are finally here, Boris. You don¡¯t know how worried I was that you would not make it. Here, I have our sacrifice ready for today.¡±
Horas was hiding behind the nearest boulder which made it convenient for him to look at Eureka and Boris¡¯s reunion. They were both lost in each other¡¯s eyes to notice Horas and his presence.
¡°Of course, I am here, Eureka. I was going to do anything to have my wish fulfilled. And after how long it took to find the right sacrifice, how could I miss it for the world?¡±
Boris sounded delighted as he talked. His voice had a hint of crazy in it which broke apart his pretty-boy exterior.
¡°Of course. It¡¯s a shame that the other kid managed to get away since he was the ¡®superior¡¯ sacrifice, but I think this girl should do it nicely as well.¡±
Eureka turned toward Emma¡¯s unconscious body and Horas watched it all happen from his position. He did want to go out and help but he did not want to blow his cover as well.
More than anything, he just wanted to know what was going on in there and why there were no monsters in there.
¡°Boris, you know that I trust you. But are you sure it¡¯s safe for us to conduct the sacrificial ceremony here? After all, it¡¯s the demon king we are trying to summon. Shouldn''t the sacrifice be something grander?¡±
Horas¡¯s stopped breathing for a second due to shock.
¡®I¡just what did I hear right now. A ceremony to call the demon king? Are these people out of their minds?¡¯
Demon king, the ultimate enemy of the human race and the end boss of these dungeons. These people wanted to summon him into this dungeon?
That would end up evolving and breaking this dungeon apart. It could also potentially tear the space around this dungeon apart. It was beyond foolish to even try.
¡°Of course Eureka. Just trust me and allow me to hold this ceremony. Soon, our wishes wille true and this world will be below our feet.¡±
Horas was beginning to draw a horrible realization that this ¡®Boris¡¯ person was the real mastermind behind this kidnapping and he used Eureka to achieve his goal.
Or it could also be that Horas was reading too much into things and they both were equally responsible for this situation.
¡®I need to stop this madness. What should I do now?¡¯
Horas debated silently, but then he felt a presence watching him. And as he looked up, he noticed the giant eyeball looking directly at him.
Chapter 34 Ch 32: Death And Rebirth
?¡®I cannot breathe. The pressure. Something is pressing on my chest.¡¯
The giant eyeball continued to look at Horas and he continued to be short of breath. He could feel tremendous pressure being put on his chest, making it almost impossible for him to respond.
He quickly looked up, only to see the eye still looking at him.
¡°Ah, look. The agent of the demon king is here already. We should hurry up and mark this girl so that the ceremony can be carried out more efficiently.¡±
Eureka sounded happy when she spoke. There was cheer in her voice as she happily condemned someone to die for her wish.
Whatever small amount of sympathy Horas had made up for her as a likely victim vanished in a single second.
¡®I need to act now while those two are distracted. I will cut Emma¡¯s binds and take her out of this alter.¡¯
Horas now had a n and he swiftly moved toward Emma. He needed to take her out before the other two noticed his n. He was on short notice here and his time was running out.
*shaaaaa*
Horas took a few steps and then stopped. The giant eye was not only looking at him, it was following his movements. Its soulless ck iris was tracking Horas down and keeping an eye on him simultaneously.
¡°My lord, I hope you find our sacrifice worth it. We sacrifice the body of a young child to you. Now, descend on this world and grant me my wish- hey,e back here. Boris, don¡¯t let them escape.¡±
Horas threw all caution out of the window as soon as the mana around the room began to fluctuate.
His head felt like it was being split apart due to all the fluctuation and he could not look straight. But he still did his best to keep on walking until he reached Emma and freed her.
Horas tried to pick Emma and run but his young body turned out to be a hindrance in that regard as well. Before he knew it, he was being held back by Boris and Eureka had been taken away from him.
¡°Eureka, was this the other kid was were talking about? The one who managed to escape your grasp? He¡¯s a good find as well, almost better than the girl we have. Look, he even has a system.¡±
Boris sounded satisfied as he observed Horas. His wrist was stretched out and his information screen made to appear.
Boris did not show any surprise when he noticed Horas¡¯s affiliation with Esper¡¯s academy.
¡°Eureka, how about we change our sacrifice? We have not started the ceremony yet so we still have time. I am sure the demon king would also appreciate it if we give him a functional body rather than one that needs to finish developing, right?¡±
Boris stood up and stretched Horas¡¯s hand high above his head. Horas¡¯s feet barely touched the ground and his stomach even revolted, pushing bile up his throat.
All the time, that huge eye in the sky did not stop looking at Yohan. The eye did not look away from Yohan no matter what happened.
¡°Alright, if you say so Boris, then I guess we can make an exception this time. Immobilize the kid so that I can carve the Sigel into his back.¡±
Invisible hands held Horas down and then a sharp knife was digging into his back. No, not one but several sharp knives were digging into his back. It hurt but it also tickled some kind of memory in his brain.
This sensation of burning felt familiar but Horas was in no condition to think why it felt familiar.
And then the torture was over too soon and toote. Horas had lost his breath halfway and he was now trying to just keep on breathing.
¡°Well then Boris, it¡¯s finally time. Our lord shall get a new body.¡±
Horas felt water touch his back as he was ced in a small coffin-like space on top of the altar. The water barely touched Horas¡¯s back but it was slowly rising. Horas had a sinking feeling that he would die by suffocation.
And all this time, that disgusting eye was looking at him from the open sky.
¡®....cannot¡.escape¡.me¡¡¯
The silent whispers reached Horas¡¯s ears. The voice he was hearing was unlike any human voice Horas had heard before. But despite that, he felt familiar to him.
Just the essence of that voice filled Horas¡¯s entire being with fear and dread. Breathing became harder and Horas felt the air being squeezed out of his body
¡®...back¡not¡escape¡my¡hold¡hand¡over¡¡¯
¡®I cannot give in. H-Help should be on the way.¡¯
Horas¡¯s back was burning and his mana seemed to be out of control as well. Horas was losing control of his body slowly and it was a horrible realization to have.
[[[Emergency: Major organs slowing down. Immediate treatment is rmended]]]
[[[Emergency: Major organs slowing down. Immediate treatment is rmended]]]
[[[Emergency: Major organs slowing down. Immediate treatment is rmended]]]
Horas¡¯s system was up in rm, trying to issue all this warning to him. It made Horas¡¯s headache just that much worse. But he was not able to do anything to help himself.
His body just did not feel like his own.
¡®...you¡dare¡try¡and¡escape¡me¡¡¯
The eyeball seemed to be closing in on Horas. He wanted to at least turn his head away but even that seemed to be impossible. And the corresponding water level also seemed to have risen above his chest.
And then, Horas finally went under. The dungeon slipped from around him and he was plunged into darkness.
But it was unlike any darkness he had seen before. This one was cold and heavy, allowing Horas not to move as he pleased. It also gave a slimy feeling when it touched the skin.
Horas was sinking down and down until his back touched something rock solid. He finally was able to feel and move his body a little, so he decided to look up.
Right into a pair of bright red eyes. They looked familiar and their sinister energy also gave Horas goosebumps.
¡°I¡am¡back¡Did¡you¡miss¡me¡little¡human¡?¡±
It was the same unhuman voice Horas had been hearing all this while but it became much more clear once that shadow was in front of him.
Hands strangled his neck and Horas stopped breathing. But just as he was at his most desperate, something happened and his body jolted.
[[[??? - releasing. Special skill acquired]]]
The useless cheat Horas had picked up finally ended up breaking out of its shell. But the demon king easily tore the protection apart.
¡°Now¡fulfil¡your¡contract¡hand¡it¡over¡your¡body¡¡±
¡°No, stay away.¡±
In a desperate attempt to free himself, Horas thrashed around for thest time but it did not work. The demon did not let him go and Horas felt the most horrible pain in his life as the demon tried to rip his soul apart.
¡°Oi, hang in there kid. We finally got you out.¡±
Jack Hollow¡¯s familiar voice called out and finally, Horas was pulled out of that nightmare. The demon in the darkness cried out but Horas could no longer hear it.
It spoke about ¡®deals¡¯ and ¡®rewards¡¯ but Horas did his best to tune the demon out. And then, he was finally coughing and had control of his body.
¡°Jesus kid, what is wrong with you? You almost died there for a sec and gave us all a heart attack.¡±
All around Horas were medics as well as other police staff. They had captured Eureka and her partner and were not taking them away. Some other people had been caught by the police.
¡°You are a lucky kid. The dungeon was misssified as F-ss. We will need to investigate more but that¡¯s something you do not need to concern yourself with.¡±
Horas was not concerned. His eyes felt heavy with sleep and he wanted to close them. But he also wanted to know what happened to Emma and Howard. Were the kids alright?
¡°K-Kids?¡±
Horas¡¯s voice barely came out but he needed to know. He needed to know that his ticket home was alright.
And maybe, just maybe, he was worried about those kids as well. He was not heartless after all and those kids were important.
¡°They¡¯re alright, if not a little traumatized. Well, the girl slept through everything but Howard might need future therapy to get through this incident. Even then, they both are young enough to forget about it happening.¡±
Horas hoped that Jack was right. It would not be good if Horas had managed to traumatize the future hero.
Horas felt eyes on him and he stiffened. That gaze reminded him of that gigantic eyeball in the demon-kind summoning ceremony and Horas quickly looked at the source of that stare.
The familiar blue of Howard¡¯s eyes met his and his brother looked away instantly as soon as he was noticed. Horas finally rxed once he knew that it was not an enemy who was looking at him.
¡°Horas Spencer, we will record your statementter. For now, you should rest and recover.¡±
That was Horas¡¯s n. Well, this and getting stronger.
He did not know what kind of dungeon that will appear in the future, but Horas was sure of one thing - he could not rely on his iplete knowledge to know what will happen. He will have to try and find out more about it.
And just like that, 11 years passed. The academy changed, Horas grew up and it was finally time for the real story to start.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Finally, the real story will start in the next chapter. This is the end of the first arc.
Chapter 35 Ch 33: Vol 1 Starts
?Esper¡¯s academy.
The best school for training the future generation of adventurers and the only academy where everyone was beyond extraordinary. This was the reputation of this well-known school.
Many people even boast of it as thest line of defense between the dungeons and the human race. It had a lot to live up to.
Andst but not the least, it was the ce where the book ¡®A legendary hero¡¯ started, starring Howard Spencer.
And finally, it was time for the awaited hero to enter the academy. Howard Spencer had finally turned 13 and he along with his childhood friend Emma had finally made it into the Esper¡¯s academy.
A lot had changed in the past 11 years. Some changes had benefited the human race, while others had caused a lot of conflicts. But despite all that, Horas could not help but like the current situation.
¡°Horas, are you excited? Are you going to go out and have a look at the new students? I heard that the top 3 in the entrance exam will give a speech this year.¡±
Horas looked up from the screen he had been coding and met Mark¡¯s eyes. His mentor (and foster father in all but papers) had a yful look in his eyes. Horas knew he would not be let go of until he gave Mark an answer.
¡°Mark, I am aware of what you are trying to gloat me into, but I will not give in. I will get to the opening ceremony if I have time to.¡±
Over the past 11 years, a lot had changed with Horas as well. The previously skinny child had grown up to be a lean and strong teenager.
He had grown up to be 5¡¯10, a respectable height for a man but still on the shorter side of most adventurers. Lady Heals had been surprised that he had grown as tall as he did even after what happened to him.
¡°A,e on Horas. Stop staying in all the time and go out to make friends. Surely this year you will not be alone?¡±
Mark had likely not intended his words toe out as jabs but that was how it felt to Horas. It was not like Horas was not making friends intentionally, but he just did not click with people.
Even those in his age group did not get along with him.
Horas had been in this world for almost 13 years but he still felt as if he was not a part of this world. His desire to go home was as strong as the day he had first arrived here.
¡°Alright, I heard you loud and clear. If work is the only reason you are not going out then I will help you out. Here, give me your keyboard.¡±
Horas almost yelped when he was pushed out of his seat and Mark took his ce. He had been sessfully dethroned out of his seat by his mentor.
¡°Now you have no more excuses to not go out, right? Enjoy your outing Horas and make some friends this time.¡±
Horas shook his head as he was forced out of theb by his concerned caretaker. Mark pulled this every year at the start.
What Mark did not realize was that Horas already had an established reputation as the ¡®Reaper¡¯ of the Esper¡¯s academy. Old students were afraid of him and new ones did not like to approach him.
¡®Another year of awkwardness, I guess. But at least this will be myst. Principal Merbel will not be able to keep me on the academy grounds once I turn into an adult.¡¯
¡°Horas, stop getting lost in your thoughts and hurry up. At your pace, the entrance ceremony will be finished already.¡±
Mark yelled from inside the coding room, sessfully sending Horas off. The elder man knew Horas well.
¡°Alright, I am going.¡±
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
Howard stood on the stage and looked up. He was finally here, at the Esper¡¯s academy.
A lot had happened but Howard had finally made it into this academy with top scores. He was sure that Miss Julie would be happy for him in the heavens.
¡°Howard, I know you are happy to finally step into the Esper academy but you should not be standing around like this. You have to go to the opening ceremony to make the speech, right?¡±
Howard looked toward Emma, his childhood friend who had apanied him all the way here. It had been hard for her to study to get into the Esper¡¯s academy but Howard was happy to have her with him.
¡°Howard, stop spacing around and hurry up. You are already half an hourte.¡±
Emma reminded Howard again and he gave a sheepish smile back to her.
¡°You are right. Then, I shall be going now. Take care of yourself, Emma.¡±
Emma could only shake her head as she watched her childhood friend almost stumbling on his way out.
For a guy who had ced first at Esper academy¡¯s entrance test, he sure was clumsy and often forgetful. Emma was almost afraid to let him go out alone.
¡®Alright, I sent Howard off. But where do I go from here? Which way should the new students go?¡¯
The only reason Emma had sent Howard off confidently was that she was sure she would be able to follow other students toward the arena. But when she finally dared to look around, there was no one around her.
¡®It makes sense. Why would any new studente to the staff section? Why was I so confident about finding my way back?¡¯
Emma felt bitter and annoyed at her current situation. But she also knew she had to ept it and move on.
And just when it felt like all hope had been lost, Emma saw ¡®him.¡¯ It was a teen, older than her by a few years, and donning a familiar air around him.
But for some reason, Emma felt her confidence waver as soon as she decided to call him. She did not even know this man¡¯s name.
¡®Get a hold of yourself, Emma. You are thirteen, nor a child. Do not let a childhood crush cause you panic.¡¯
Emma took in a deep breath and braved herself to call the man in front of her. She would act calm and cool in front of this man no matter what.
¡°Ah, are you lost? I saw you debating about something and decided to help you out.¡±
Emma¡¯s face went red and her breath hitched. Her courage also evaporated once she realized just how close the other teen was standing to her.
¡®I c-can¡¯t do this after all.¡¯
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
¡®Ah, shit. Please don¡¯t tell me that girl is Emma Dew. Why did I have to run into her of all people?¡¯
Horas cursed his luck inside his mind.
Out of all the people he could have run into, he ended up bumping into a main character. How was it fair? How was it legal?
He did think about leaving Emma to her fate and running away from her, but he ultimately decided against it. Her pathetic face made Horas feel bad for her and also a little responsible.
Besides, he had already been spotted so he might as welle out.
¡°Ah, are you lost? I saw you debating about something and decided to help you out.¡±
Horas felt like he did not need to ask that question. Emma¡¯s face was a little flushed and she looked sick. She was even breathing heavily.
It all pointed out to her running a small fever.
¡°I-I¡don¡¯t feel so good.¡±
Emma¡¯s admission was both a shock and a relief. Horas would not need to spend a lot of time on her. A small trip to Lady Heals would cure her.
¡°Let¡¯s go. If you are not feeling well then I will apany you to Lady Heals. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to bete for your first day here.¡±
Horas wanted to lessen his time with Emma, but he was also worried about her. Emma¡¯s face was looking more and more flushed by the second.
¡°N-No, there is no need to. I-I just¡I¡¯ll head out now.¡±
In the end, Emma did not even give Horas the time to digest what happened. She ran as if the devil was on her trail and she left Horas alone in the hallway.
It would not have been that bad for Horas if he had been alone when that happened.
But he was not that lucky. Some of the students noticed Horas in the teacher¡¯s hallway and the unknown girl running away from him. There would be rumors about it tomorrow.
¡°Yo boss, did you scare away another one? As expected of the ¡®reaper¡¯. No one can look at you and not feel intimidated.¡±
¡°Yeah, don¡¯t mind. One of these days, someone will stick around and not be afraid of you.¡±
Horas sighed as he looked at a final-year student. Students typically grew out of fearing him and his reputation by the time they were in their first year.
His reputation had be rock solid not only among the students but the adventurermunity in general. He doubted that people would stop assuming things about him long ago.
¡®No matter what Mark said, I knew I should have stayed inside today.¡¯
Chapter 36 Ch 34: The First Encounters? [Pt1]
?There was one tradition of Esper¡¯s academy that no one was allowed to skip - the neer''s entrance ceremony.
It was the time when the next shining cast of representatives was shown off for the first time. And as tradition, the top 3 would be singled out. Everyone was excited about such an asion.
Currently, the trio that stood on the center stage had gained the honor of being the top 3 this year. But everyone was busy looking at Howard Spencer, the first person to ever top the entrance exam with a perfect score.
He was the biggest piece of news this year and everyone was looking forward to getting to know him.
Howard, who watched everyone look at him with expecting eyes could not help but sigh. He could feel everyone¡¯s greed when they looked at him.
¡®I guess I should have toned down my power. I feel like a zoo animal out for observation.¡¯
Howard looked toward his right side where two more people were standing. They were well-known by Howard but he did not know to approach them.
Jack had given him a run down on his ssmates and their potential. He also had been *instructed* to bring any useful person to his side and these twonded right on top of his list.
¡°Howard Spencer,e up here and address your new schoolmates.¡±
Howard sighed and prepared to go up the podium. Jack had prepared him a well-written speech which Howard had learned by heart. He could even recite it in his sleep. He was not interested in any of this crap.
The only reason Howard had chosen toe here was that this was the best ce to strengthen oneself. That, and someone from here had saved Howard long ago. It kind of felt like a homage if he studied here.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Howard spotted a familiar shade of ck and blue and his heart stopped beating for a second.
¡®Howard, snap out of it. Now you have even started hallucinating? It¡¯s been 11 years since I was saved. The student who saved me would have long graduated by now.¡¯
Howard shook his head to clear his head. He only needed to focus on his mission and how to achieve it. Anything else did not matter to him.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
Horas watched the entrance ceremony from his hidden corner. It was a much-awaited scene by him since it was the first chapter he had ever written in his life.
But writing something and experiencing something were vastly different experiences. What he had thought of as interesting turned out to be rather boring in real life.
¡®Why did I make Howard¡¯s speech so long? I cannot believe I ever thought this was interesting in the first ce.¡¯
Horas almost let out a yawn as he listened to Howard¡¯s speech. That speech coupled with theck of sleep Horas had the night before made him rather sleepy.
But the day had just started and Horas had tons of work to get done.
It¡¯s about time the ceremony came to an end. And soon these people would be sent back to their rooms to unpack.
Horas would be asked to run security checks as assistant staff and to help other people out with preparations. It was a never-ending operation.
¡®But before that, I should make sure no rats run rampant today, I am pretty sure I wrote about the protagonist meeting a viin today.¡¯
Horas left his post as soon as Howard¡¯s speech was over. Now that the ¡®filler¡¯ event was over, it was time for Horas to begin his hunt.
He had sent his familiar out in the morning to track down the rats. And he had finally gotten a response from it. Mark had outdone himself when with this familiar.
Horas walked into the empty hallway of the Esper¡¯s academy. The silence had to be expected since everyone else was in the opening ceremony right now.
Darkness parted for Horas as he opened the door to the botanical garden that the Esper¡¯s academy kept.
Horas felt a metallic and cold touch as soon as he stepped into the botanical garden. A small metallic cat rubbed against his legs affectionately and Horas bent down to scratch its metallic head.
¡°You did a good job, Tora. You managed to track the rat till here.¡±
Tora leaned further into Horas¡¯s hands with an affectionate headbutt. Horas had gained her as a gift from the headmaster for his thirteenth birthday. ording to Principle Marbel, Toras was a reward from an S-ss dungeon.
And as expected from such a high-ss reward, Tora knew a lot of useful skills.
¡°Now then, since you worked hard to trap this rat, shall we go out and exterminate it now? I do want to go back to my normal petrol route.¡±
Horas stood back up and prepared himself. He could feel the foreign presence in this botanical garden and Horas was sure it was a viin.
As the original story went, Howard Spencer was supposed to meet a nt viin today which would cause a small fight to break out and hand Howard his first win in the story.
But as a result of this fight, the technical wing would suffer a huge amount of data loss. And that pushed Horas to take action.
He could afford to let a viin run rampant but he was not willing to lose his hard-recorded data. It was where he drew the line.
¡°Still noting out? Well, I guess you can always speak even with your body full of bullet holes.¡±
In a swift action, Horas took out his gun and shot in a random direction. The bullet prated a thick vein and nothing happened for a second.
And then a drop of blood fell down and then another.
¡°So, are you willing toe out now? I don¡¯t mind having to shoot you the whole day if I have to.¡±
Horas taunted the viin and they finally showed himself. Veins condensed into a single body that looked vaguely humanoid. But it soon settled into the form of an adult female and the female clutched her bleeding side.
The viiness took a step back as she tried to push her bleeding to stop. But Horas had used a special bullet she and Mark had made. The bleeding would stop once the viiness was too weak to stand.
It would not endanger her life but it would make her unable to fight back.
¡°C-Curses. Why is the reaper here? I was told that you would be busy today.¡±
The viiness cursed Horas as she tried to look for ways to escape. It was an isted area so she knew if she was able to get away now, she would not be caught.
But s, Horas was not going to give her this chance to run away. He blocked her from one side and Tora covered her exit on the other side.
¡°Well, I can let you go but only after you hand over the stolen data. We won¡¯t want a data breach, right? Now hand it over to me.¡±
Horas extended his hand, asking for the small chip this viiness was likely carrying on her person. But the viiness stiffened and looked back.
She decided she would take her chances with Tora rather than Horas and his guns.
Horas shot the viiness but she managed to untangle herself and run away. She was about to run past Tora when she felt something heavy stop her in her tracks. A heavy pawnded on her back and sharp teeth neared her neck.
*Grrrr*
The small cat, Tora, had turned into a huge beast. It had happened in a sh and left the viiness stunned.
¡°Good girl, Tora. Now, keep holding that viin down so that I can search her body.¡±
Horas¡¯s hands had to wander some *questionable* ces and he tried not to show anything on his face. (Horas was a man, alright? And he was also not an innocent one so give him a break)
By the end of this search, Horas managed to retrieve the small disk from the nt viiness and he instantly ced it into his inventory. He had managed to aplish his mission here.
¡°Tora, take her to the retainers and throw her into jail. Do make sure that you are *gentle* with her.¡±
Tora growled and picked up the viiness by the back of her dress. She mped down hard on the cloth in her mouth every time the viiness tried to pull away.
Horas waited for a few minutes before leaving the Botanical garden. His work here had been done but he still had petrol to run.
Once that was done, Horas needed to catch up on his sleep, correct the coding he had been doing, and then wake up early for tomorrow.
Naturally, nothing managed to go ording to Horas¡¯s wishes since he ran into thest person he wanted to - the protagonist and his childhood friend.
¡®For god¡¯s sake. Why is it, Howard and Emma? Don¡¯t they know that this is a restricted area? No wonder Howard ran into the viiness in the original story.¡¯
¡°Ugh, we did not mean to be here. We just got a little lost and ended up being here.¡±
//////
I''ll update every other day.
Chapter 37 Ch 35: A First Encounter? [Pt2]
?Once the entrance ceremony came to a close, Howard breathed a sigh of relief. He could feel the other two top students itching to talk to him but their intentions did not look to be pure.
¡°So, you are the no 1 in our grade? I have to say that you have a nice face.¡±
Regine Lazar was the one who had ced third in the entrance exam. ording to Jack Hollow¡¯s information, she was an heiress to the biggest financialpany in their country right now.
She was here because her family wanted to expand into the most profitable business - dungeon hunting. And Regine Lazar had been specially trained to be the best.
¡°Well, you sure got lucky this time around Howard Spencer. But it has to be expected from the son of former top #1 and #2 adventurers. But look out because I will overtake you soon.¡±
The speaker this time was Duke Verteramo, the son of the current no #1 adventurer. He had inherited his father¡¯s strong powers and was a goodpanion ording to Jack.
Normally, Jack would want Howard to make connections with them but Horas could not apany them today.
¡°Look, I cannot talk to you right now. I kind of promised my childhood friend that I will meet her for lunch. I should get going now.¡±
Regine did not look disappointed but Duke looked annoyed.
¡°Sorry, but I will talk to you bothter.¡±
Howard quickly took his leave from the gathering. The intense stares he was beginning to get were making his instincts rise. And getting into a fight on his first day was not what Howard wanted to do.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
Emma felt lonely and annoyed as she watched everyone else around her meet up with her friends.
¡®Why did Howard have to be so much better than me at everything? I feel like I cannot catch up to him.¡¯
Emma had been the next best person in their small town after Howard but it was not until she came to his academy that she realized just how big that ¡®small¡¯ gap in their abilities was.
She was almost afraid that Howard will forget all about her in this new environment. There were stronger and better people than Emma here.
¡®No, don¡¯t think like that. I just need to catch up with Howard and then we can be together. I can do this since I like him.¡¯
For some reason, Emma¡¯s mind saw it fit to sh the image of her mysterious encounter when she thought of the word ¡®like¡¯. She could not help but flinch.
Emma have had a few crushed before but nothing had ever topped her affection for Howard before. But now, it suddenly seemed as if Emma could not get that adult teen out of her mind.
¡°Sorry to keep you waiting Emma. I hope I am not toote.¡±
Howard finally came to find her, his face looking a little flushed but happy. His expression made Emma¡¯s annoyance bleed out of her body.
¡°Wee back. So, how was it meeting the other top students? Did you be fast friends?¡±
Emma tried not to let jealousy bleed into her voice. She was not going to show her ugly side to Howard.
¡°It was alright. Can we not talk about it right now? Tell me how your day went.¡±
Emma got the hint and stopped pushing Howard to tell him how his day went. She had learned her lesson and fell into step beside Howard.
They both walked through the corridor of the Esper¡¯s academy without any destination. And they also did not notice when they reached the restricted section until it waspletely silent around them.
¡°Emma, be careful. I can hear footsteps heading our way.¡±
Howard had a keen sense of danger so he was able to sense a powerful force heading his way. He positioned himself in front of Emma to protect her from whatever threat was heading their way.
A metallic tiger-like body passed the pair, not even paying attention to them and Howard felt his insides freeze with signs of danger.
Yellow eyes met his own before the metallic creature was off. Howard was sure that she carried something in her mouth but he decided not to question this oddity.
Especially since the door in front of them decided to open and an older teen came out. His ck hair and blue eyes looked vaguely familiar but Howard was not sure why.
¡°Ugh, we did not mean to be here. We just got a little lost and ended up being here.¡±
Howard¡¯s voice trembled just a little and he hoped that it would not be noticeable. He did not want to show his weakness.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
Horas watched the two kids in front of him stiffen as they faced him. They had realized that they were not supposed to be here as well.
¡°Alright, I heard you loud and clear. Let me help you out of this restricted area and we can go our separate ways. Just this once, I will not report you foring to this restricted area.¡±
Horas decided not to press this issue. These kids were likely confused by identallying to this corridor.
¡°Y-You will help us out? I mean, thank you for helping us out.¡±
Emma peaked out from behind Howard''s shily and her face still looked flushed.
Horas was getting a feeling that Emma was not sick with an illness but with a ¡®crush¡¯. But Horas fervently hoped that he was wrong in his assessment.
¡°There is no need to thank me. I am just doing my job as the patroller in charge today. Follow me if you want to get out of here.¡±
The other two followed behind Horas like ducklings. It was almostical to see them not even question him.
¡®God, they¡¯re so innocent. No wonder the protagonist got bullied and scammed so much in the first half of this story. He¡¯s too easy.¡¯
Horas felt sorry for Howard and all the hardships he would be suffering in the future.
¡°So, um, are you in the final year? What¡¯s your name?¡±
Emma tried to strike up a conversation with Horas in hopes of knowing more about him. Her shy eyes were not able to hold Horas¡¯s gaze.
¡®What happened to the strong bully of a girl I wrote?¡¯
Horas could not help but notice the obvious changes Emma was showing right now. It seemed as if Horas was looking at apletely different person than the one he knew about.
¡°Here, we are out. I will tell you my name the next time we meet. Until then, you should get going.¡±
Emma looked disappointed as Horas drew the boundaries with her. He was not going to encourage her in any way or even allow her to feel hopeful.
Emma was a female lead and she had been written for Howard Spencer, the main character. Nothing good would get if she developed romantic inclinations for other people.
¡°H-Hey wait. I still have questions for you to-¡±
Horas turned his back to Howard Spencer in a rather rude manner. But he would rather be called ¡®rude¡¯ than be forced to take care of the protagonist.
Both Howard and Emma were surprised to be left alone all of a sudden. But Howard noticed the looks they were getting.
People were looking at him and Emma as if they were interesting specimens and Howard had a feeling it had something to do with their guide.
¡°Howard, do you think we will meet that guy again? I now have two incidences I need to thank him for.¡±
Emma¡¯s tone was a little weird when she asked this question. She even looked a little awkward and her eyes had a zed-over look.
¡°Hey first year, I cannot believe your luck. Out of everyone you managed to run into the ¡®grim reaper¡¯ of Esper¡¯s academy. You better be careful or you will be haunted for the rest of your years in here.¡±
Among all the interested stares and whispers, only one person dared to approach the party. Her green hair and blue eyes twinkled in the artificial light of the hallway.
¡°Reaper? What does that even mean? He looked like a human to me.¡±
Emma rebutted rather rudely but only Howard was able to tell. Something was wrong with Emma today and Howard was getting worried.
¡°Horas might look like a human but don¡¯t let it fool you. He¡¯s the most ruthless person in this academy, even including the teachers. Don¡¯t you know what he did to his friend when he was a fresher? He branded her as a viin. You might have even heard of her name - Reed Whinstone.¡±
The older teen continues and many students flinched as they heard that infamous namees out of the green-haired teenager''s mouth.
Luckily, a teacher arrived on time and this conversation came to a halt. Howard could feel the green-haireddy stare at him with a silent smile.
¡°If you want to know more thene and find me. I will tell you all about this academy and what you can expect from it. My name is Faye Lembrick, a third year.¡±
And before the teacher could catch her, Faye was off. The students who had been left behind did not say anything but the damage had been done already.
Chapter 38 Ch 36: The First Day Of Class [Pt1]
?///
Horas was running toward something. His hand was outstretched to try and get hold of the light.
In the eternal darkness surrounding him, the ray of light in front of him was the only thing keeping Horas going. He needed the light if he was to survive this ordeal.
Horas had no idea why he was running or what he was running away from, but he knew that he needed to get away from the thin chasing him.
¡®...cannot¡run¡away¡¡¯
¡°Oh, fuck off and leave me alone. You are almost as annoying as a possessive girlfriend following her lover everywhere.¡±
Horas yelled back toward the unseen monster chasing after him. He knew it was a dream since he was not getting tired even after what seemed like hours of running.
¡®...the deal¡needs¡to¡be¡fulfilled¡¡¯
¡°And I told you that I do now know anything about this ¡®deal¡¯. Just leave me alone.¡±
The air was getting heavier and denser. Horas knew what would happen next since he had experienced the same dream every night.
¡®Now the water will rise and I will be unable to breathe. I need to reach for the light before that happens.¡¯
Horas tried not to panic but it was impossible for his heart not to skip a beat in this situation. This dream felt all too real and the fear of death caused Horas to keep on going.
¡®...body¡promise¡give¡it¡up¡¡¯
¡°Shut up. As if I will give up my body so easily. I still need to go back home to my words.¡±
Horas yelled but his voice sounded calm to his ears. Water was making his moments sluggish and the darkness was closing in all around him.
¡®I refuse to give up. I need to live.¡¯
Desperation rose inside Horas¡¯s body. It made him feel the same emotions and feelings he had felt the first time he hade across this darkness.
¡®I am almost there. Just a little more push.¡¯
Horas was almost across the point where his power would rush into his body. Just a little more and he will be able to break his shackles and be free.
¡°Move.¡±
Darkness crashed into Horas just as his hands sped around the light. He had made it in time today as well, but the chase had been a close one.
Horas was jolted by a small shock and he was instantly awake.
///
Horas opened his eyes and nursed his hurting body. His legs ached, almost as if he had gone through a real struggle. Horas was sure that his body would have marks from his dream.
But since it happened every night, Horas had learned to deal with it over time. He no longer felt as if he would not be able to function in the morning.
¡°Darn it. Another day started with this bad memory from my past. I cannot believe that encounter with the demon king¡¯s minion is affecting me so badly even after 11 years.¡±
11 years ago, Horas had almost be a sacrifice for the demon king¡¯s resurrection. He had not known it until muchter but the dungeon had been a special-grade dungeon.
And by that, it meant that no one knew how it had started or what level it was. It almost felt man-maid but that was a hrious thought to have.
Ever since that day, Horas had been kept under watchful eyes and not allowed to have much personal freedom. But he understood that it was for his good. No one knew how this situation would affect Horas¡¯s mental health.
He had even been pulled out of regr sses and ended up having private lessons instead. That caused Horas¡¯s ¡®friend-less¡¯ situation to worsen.
Especially with all the nightmares he was recently having.
¡°Horas, are you awake yet? *yawn* I got a message from Instructor Harris asking for you to report to his office. You should get going now.¡±
Mark almost stumbled into the room as he yawned. From the dark circles under his eyes, it was safe to say that Mark had not slept a wink yesterday night.
He often surprised Horas with his ability to run on the minimum hours of sleep humanly possible. Horas reached out for Mark¡¯s coffee cup but Mark showed incredible vignce and managed to smack Horas¡¯s hand away.
¡°No! My coffee mug. Get your own, Horas. And not from my stash.¡±
Horas shook his head at the predictable answer he got from Mark.
¡®It must be all the coffee Mark consumes. It must have some kind of drug mixed in it. No wonder he never allows me to have any.¡¯
¡°Fine, no coffee for me. I¡¯ll just freshen up and get going now.¡±
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
After having a ¡®not so pleasant¡¯ morning, Horas was runningte for his meeting with Instructor Harris.
In his defense, he did not know that the new session traffic would be much worse than any year before. It seemed almost as if everyone was either lost or in a hurry.
Horas had to forgo breakfast to make it on time to instructor Harris¡¯s office. Instructor Harris seemed to be going over the student profiles.
¡°Instructor Harris, I heard that you called for me.¡±
Horas stood at attention, not willing to let his guard down. Who knew what instructor Harris would have him do but Horas wanted to be ready for anything.
However, contrary to Horas¡¯s expectations, the instructor did not make any ridiculous statements.
Instead, he pointed toward the chair in front of him and asked Horas to sit down. Then, he passed a few profiles to Horas silently.
Horas looked at the first profile and his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. The paper in his hand spotted a very familiar name on it after all.
¡°Howard Spencer, S-rank candidate potential. What do you think about him?¡±
Instructor Harris asked with a calm voice. But Horas caught the sliver of interest Instructor Harris was trying not to show. It was not difficult to know why instructor Harris was asking Horas this question.
He was one of the only individuals who knew of Horas¡¯s real full name. So he had likely linked the connection in his mind already.
¡®How annoying. Is there even a point in lying about it?¡¯
¡°Howard Spencer is an impressive individual. The first person to score a perfect score on the test as well as the only ranked S-potential candidate in the first year right now.¡±
Horas knew that Howard was not the only S-rank in the first years since the other members of his party had also awakened as S-ss. But it had happenedter in his book and many students¡¯ potential had to be reevaluated.
It also exposed a fatal w in the ¡®potential recording¡¯ process, hence changing the academy.
¡®Not that I know anything about it. Let¡¯s not think about it in case anyone decided to check my mind.¡¯
¡°Is that all you want to say to me? If you give me a good enough reason, I can allow you to back out as my second inmand Horas.¡±
It was a nice offer but Horas was not going to take this offer. He was not going to act as Horas Spencer since it was an identity that should be forgotten.
¡°Instructor, I know what you are worried about but the first son of the Spencer couple is legally dead already. I would appreciate it if you would not bring it up again.¡±
Horas was not going to give himself any reason to get attached to anyone or anything, even a name.
Instructor Harris sighed as he watched the kid. He could not bring himself to say anything so he could only look at the kid in pity. He had yed a big hand in molding Horas in this young adult as well. It was a pitiful and proud feeling at the same time.
¡°Alright, if you are sure. I will not ask you this question again so take it as a warning. Now. let¡¯s talk about the real reason I called you here and what I expect from you.¡±
Horas sighed in relief when instructor Horas let him go.
¡°I want you to observe the ss from inside and help the students out. They will be heading out for their first dungeon exercise as soon as they get their weapon and I want you to go in with them as well.¡±
Instructor Harris was clear and Horas did not need to go against his instructions. He had enough experience to lead a group now.
¡®I don¡¯t think anything happened during this day apart from Howard Spencer showing how good he was with his sword. It should be alright for me to participate.¡¯
¡°Hmm, I shall keep an eye on these kids. Is there anything else you want me to do in there?¡±
Horas had a feeling that there was a specific reason he had been called in instead of any other random aid. Instructor Harris hardly ever did things half-heartedly.
The instructor hesitated before he decided to rip the band-aid off. But in the end, Instructor Harris did not bring anything up.
¡°No, there is nothing else for you to be worried about. Just go in and keep an eye on the students. That¡¯s all you need to do.¡±
Horas watched his instructor, but it did not seem like instructor Harris would say anything else to him.
Chapter 39 Ch 37: The First Day Of Class [Pt2]
?Instructor Harris could tell that Horas was suspicious of his intentions. But as always, Horas did not question him when the task had been given.
The teen left his office with an annoyed expression on his face but Instructor Harris was satisfied with how the interaction had gone. He had almost folded and told Horas everything.
¡°Principal Marbel, I gave Horas the instructions. He will be in the first-year dungeon all day today. But are you sure it is alright not to tell him about our prisoner escaping?¡±
Instructor Harris was worried about what would happen next. It was the second time someone had managed to break out of the Esper academy¡¯s dungeon. And coincidently, this prisoner was connected with Horas as well.
After Reed Whinstone had managed to escape the Esper academy¡¯s dungeons, they had tightened the security but could not find the reason for her escape.
But this time, it had been obvious why they had failed to keep the prisoner in.
The vein-like ability of their prisoner allowed her to break her body apart into pieces and control it remotely. So she had managed to break off a small piece of herself somewhere and unlocked her prison that way.
It was a big deal that someone had managed to break out already and that was why there was a minor emergency dered in the Esper¡¯s academy.
¡°So, how likely is that our prisoner would go after Horas?¡±
Instructor Harris did not know why Principal Marbel was convinced that the escapee would go after Horas but he was not willing to question her and her methods.
Even if the prisoner were not going after Horas, instructor Harris would still do everything in his power to protect the teen. He had gotten attached to him after all.
¡°Well, it¡¯s a secret why I think Horas is the most likely target. But I¡¯m sure we will catch that viiness way before that so don¡¯t worry.¡±
Principal Marbel¡¯s confidence made Instructor Harris feel better about the situation. He was willing to trust her and her experience.
¡°Alright, I will keep the first years and Horas upied for now.¡±
Instructor Harris cut the call once he was done making his report. He could not help but feel worried about what was going to happen next.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
¡°Alright, ss. Get to your position now and we will start. Just tick your name as ¡®present¡¯ in front of the attendance column and you are free to choose your weapon.¡±
Instructor Harris¡¯s voice rang loud and clear in the room. Many students snapped to attention as soon as he entered and took his position.
Horas watched him resume the ss from his corner, not willing toe out and be an object to be looked at by the students.
There were many familiar faces in the first ss which attracted Horas¡¯s attention but he was mainly focused on the five that made up the protagonist¡¯s party.
The first person Horas focused on was Howard Spencer, the protagonist of his book. ck hair and blue eyes made up a striking face. And as Horas had written, Howard did not hesitate to go for the traditional sword.
Following his lead, Emma went for a bow and Duke went for a dual sword and Regina went for thence. It was all happening ording to the original story.
¡®Well, that concludes the main core for the protagonist party. But where is the ¡®hidden¡¯ character I wrote about?¡¯
Originally, the protagonist¡¯s party consisted of 4 people but there was a fifth main character in this ss who joined the protagonistster on. And her name was Loris Hamelton. She ended up bing quite an important character by the third volume.
And that was when Horas stopped writing that book.
Loris had been one of Horas¡¯s favorite characters to write about since her attitude had been refreshing for him to write, That was why Horas was not interested in knowing more about her.
He looked around the room and noticed Loris keeping to herself. She looked like a shy nerd who could not look anyone in the face.
Many would think that she would pick a ranged weapon like a bow or something simr. But she was currently looking at greatswords of all things.
¡°Hey, can you even pick up that thing, Loris? Don¡¯t try to act tough and go for something easier. How about this bow? Won¡¯t it be easier for you to use?¡±
Horas watched in anticipation as Loris recoiled from the other student¡¯s forceful ways. She looked like an innocent fairy caught up in a bullying case. Her fragile frame almost shook at the intense emotions he was feeling.
¡®Ah, these people don¡¯t know what kind of beast they are rattling up. If they are not careful, then they might end up in hell.¡¯
After all, Loris had, what the general public called a split personality. And her other half was very violent.
Her current shaking was a sign that Loris was close to switching over and handing these rude people a piece of her mind. But she ended up controlling herself and was left alone.
Once the mischievous students realized that they won¡¯t be able to rattle Loris. They left her alone to choose their weapon.
¡°You should be got for the greatsword if you want to. I think it will suit you well.¡±
Horas finally made his way out of the shadows once he was sure that Loris was alone. She would need some encouragement if she was to go for her signature weapon.
¡°I¡I don¡¯t think it would suit me. Maybe I should go for a bow after all.¡±
Horas wanted to sigh at theck of confidence in Loris¡¯s voice. Loris was a little too concerned with ¡®blending in¡¯ that she had to force herself to give up her interests.
Even if she knew she was suited for the greatsword, Loris would likely deny it for eternity.
¡°Hmm, if that¡¯s what you want to do then I will not stop you. Buting to Esper¡¯s academy and not picking the weapon you are suited for is a wasted opportunity. Don¡¯t tell me I did not warn you.¡±
¡°Wait, what do you know-¡±
¡°If you want to talk to me then make your way to me. But of course, you won¡¯t be able to if you do not give it your best.¡±
Just when Loris began to look rmed, Horas decided to make his exit. He had rmed Loris enough for her to snap.
¡°Come back here, you bastard. How dare you run away from me.¡±
Loris was lucky that no one was paying attention to her right now. Otherwise, her n to ¡®blend in¡¯ would be all but over.
¡°See youter. Oh, and keep your temper in check if you don¡¯t want to be found out.¡±
It had been an impulsive move for Horas to not only show himself but also talk about things he should not know about.
Just as Loris was about toe at him, instructor Harris came back as well. He pped his hands and everyone turned toward him with their weapons selected.
¡°Alright, everyone. Now that you are all done with your weapon selection, it¡¯s time I introduce you to the real test you will face - a dungeon.¡±
¡°For the first time, the first years will be allowed to enter the dungeon on their first day but it¡¯s only because you are such a capable bunch. But make sure to exercise caution and call for help if you are in danger.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
¡°Sure¡±
¡°You got it, boss,¡±
These students were far too excited to listen and Instructor Harris knew that as well. He hoped that this decision would note back to bite them in the ass.
Horas watched as the dungeon door finally opened. The excitement finally died down and everyone walked into the Greends.
It was a beautifulndscape filled with people, vegetation, and monsters.
¡°Alright, you are free to move around and try your weapons out. But don¡¯t go near monsters and don¡¯t wander off. There are eves everywhere and you will be watched.¡±
Instructor Harris warned and many students groaned in disappointment.
Horas tried to ignore the dozen pair of eyes that were looking at him now that he was no longer hiding in a corner. They observed him with a questioning look which Horas was notfortable with.
¡°Also, before I forget. This is Horas, your assistant instructor for his course. You can approach him if you have any questions or need help.¡±
The students looked even more curious but Horas needed to let them state their curiosity. But no one would likely approach him right now.
Horas took a seat on the hill a little further away from the group. He needed to observe them but remain distant enough to not be approachable.
Instructor Harris took a seat adjacent to him as well. They both watched in silence as students tried out their weapons. It seemed like this ss would pass without incident.
¡°Someone, help. The m-monsters! They broke the fence.¡±
¡®Why did I even think that nothing dangerous would happen? Of course, something would happen in the ss that has the protagonist in it. I should just ept my fate at this point.¡¯
Horas looked toward the field where the students were running around. A monster had managed to pass through the fence and was heading right toward Emma and Howard.
Chapter 40 Ch 38: The First Day Of Class [Pt3]
?¡°Hey Howard, look on your right side. Isn¡¯t that-?¡±
Emma left her question hanging but Howars understood what she wanted to tell him. There was a familiar face to his right, talking to one of his shy ssmates.
Howard wanted to head over to the older teen and ask him a few questions but there were too many eyes on him right now. Howard had to hold back his feelings and take a rest.
¡°I know you want to head over and demand answers right now Howard, but hold back for a second. You have a whole ss to approach the teen.¡±
Howard allowed Emma¡¯s words to calm him down and the ss entered the dungeon.
From there on, it was waiting for the game for Howard. He needed to find the right time to approach Howard and ask him why he had not introduced himself before.
But the time did note. Horas struck to the sides and even instructor Harris joined him soon enough. There was no opportunity for Howard to approach the older teen.
In his desire to approach Horas, Howard ignored most of what was going on around him. So he did not notice when the fence that separated his section from the monster poption became weaker and eventually broke off.
¡°Someone, help. The m-monsters! They broke the fence.¡±
Howard¡¯s neck snapped up as soon as he heard the fearful cries heading his way. The monsters were rampaging and running toward Emma.
What was worse? They were too close to hit properly with just bows and arrows. Emma would not be able to defend herself in such a situation.
¡®Shit, I need to help Emma out.¡¯
Howard focused all his attention on Emma and even ran toward her as the monsters approached. He did not have the trusted sword that Jack Hollow had given him but this academy-issued one would have to do.
¡°Emma, run toward me. I will protect you until you have enough distance to shootfortably.¡±
Bows had a fatal w - they needed time to shoot out arrows. But they made it up by providing ranged abilities. And right now, that range was what Emma needed to gain.
The beast raised his w, wanting to crush Howard under its massive weight but his sword stopped the attack. Howard was pushed back a little but he did not fall.
¡®Ugh, these academy swords would not cut it for me. I am not used to them.¡¯
Currently, Howard was strong enough to take on a ss D-ranked dungeon on his own. This F-ss did not hold a candle to his power. But he was still struggling because of the massive number of monsters.
[[[Warning: Empty out the dungeon.
Follow the given protocol and escape the dunegon]]]
The message showed up on Howard¡¯s system but he was a little busy to follow it. His sword was the only barrier between his neck and the beast¡¯s ws.
¡°H-Hang on Howard. I will help you out right now.¡±
Emma¡¯s voice came from behind Howard and he got ready. They had practiced this formation a few times but never in realbat. Howard just hoped that this would work in real life.
¡°Well, as much as I would like to see you children fight, I am afraid I cannot allow this. Horas, we are taking these monsters out.¡±
Before Emma could even load her bow, a bullet shot out from behind her and hit the monster dead in his head. It killed the monster Howard was struggling with.
More bullets followed with extreme precision, taking out monsters in a single hit. Horas stepped out in front of Howard and held a gun up at ready.
It was the first time Howard had seen someone use a gun so he was taken aback.
¡°Alright Horas, I will take Howard and these monsters to you. Come out once you are done here.¡±
Instructor Harris picked up Emma despite her protest and took a step back. A monster that had managed to get past Howard earlier rushed at the instructor, only to meet his fist in return.
Instructor Harris¡¯s every move showed his strength and experience.
¡°I am counting on you to get the kid out, Horas. Good luck.¡±
¡°Instructor Harris, you cannot be serious-¡±
But the instructor was long gone, leaving Horas and Howard alone.
¡°I cannot believe Instructor Harris did this to me,¡±
Horas muttered it under his breath and Howard was sure he was not supposed to hear these words.
¡°Alright, time to weed out the weak monsters. Kid, stay behind me so that you do not get hurt.¡±
This time, Horas¡¯s words were meant for him and Howard decided to sit back and observe Howard this man was a mystery and he even used a gun.
Howard raised his gun and quickly fired out some shots. They connected with the monsters, Killing them in one shot. And hence, the situation was easily brought under control.
¡°Is it over for real now?¡±
Howard questioned as he watched Horas pack his gun and scan the area. The warning rm had stopped buzzing as well.
¡°Yup. We are now in the clear. Can you stand up and walk on your kid?¡±
Howard was standing on high alert against a sudden attack but nothing happened. It seemed like the dungeon had calmed down for now.
¡°I can stand up on my own and I am not hurt as well. But I am curious about how you killed all these monsters. I thought guns could not conduct mana?¡±
Howard was curious now. As far as he knew, guns were one of the worst weapons to use for an adventurer due to their limitation. But Horas had shown him an incredible disy right now.
¡°If you are thinking of using guns yourself then get that thought out of your head, kid. My guns are special and can only be used by me. You are better suited for a sword anyway.¡±
Howard was not surprised that his main weapon had been guessed by the elder teen. His hands gave away a lot about his preferred weapon.
Still, Howard had to wonder why the teen in front of him gave up on a stronger weapon for a gun of all things. It was not like guns were durable or had the advantages of a bow.
¡°Don¡¯t waste your brain thinking about unnecessary stuff. Let¡¯s get you back to your ss.¡±
Howard found himself smiling at the elder teen for no apparent reason. The feeling of familiarity wasing back to hit Howard in the face.
Howard trusted his instincts since they had never led him astray. He just had to know where and when he had seen Horas before. Otherwise, his curiosity will not let him sleep.
¡°Hey Horas, have we never met-¡±
Howard found himself stopping in the middle of his step, his instincts crying out to not get hit. His body moved to avoid the danger due to his skill - Caution.
Something green shot out, hitting the ce where Howard had just been standing, and the vein suddenly curved toward him. He took quite a few steps back but the vein kept on following after him.
¡®What happened?¡¯
Howard was shocked and it caused his reflexes to slow down. The vein headed toward him and managed to cut him in the arm.
But before the vein could harm him any further, it exploded into small bits and a bullet fell in front of Howard.
¡°Oi, snap out of it. There is an intruder with us in this dungeon who is not friendly to us.¡±
Horas sped Howard¡¯s arm and pulled him up. Howard stumbled as he was pulled up but corrected his posture. The grasnd around them looked a lot more sinister than before.
Howard eyes the few small veins that were rising and falling around them. There were too many to take out at once.
¡°We will need to find the main body if we want these veins to rest. So, any idea what we should do now?¡±
Howard asked, not being able topute what was happening. Was this the feature of the dungeon as well? Or was it some kind of beast?
Or was it a test from the academy and the one attacking them was an instructor?
Meanwhile, Horas had figured out what was happening already. He could not believe that it took him this long to figure out what was happening but he felt stupid once he did figure it out.
¡®I cannot believe I did not think of this possibility. The viiness I captured yesterday managed to escape and is nowing after us.¡¯
The original book has detailed a meeting between the viiness and Howard Spencer. Horas had tried to prevent it, but it seemed like all his efforts had gone down the drain.
Jack Hollow¡¯s words regarding fate echoed in Horas¡¯s mind and he felt bitter all over.
¡®Fate finds a way to fulfill itself. But I will be damned if I don¡¯t fight against it right here and now.¡¯
Horas picked up his gun and shot at the few veins that wereing too close to him and Howard. He would prevent this fated meeting at all costs and change destiny.
But fate was not that easy to be overthrown and this struggle would only get worse from here on.
Chapter 41 Ch 39: Villainess Again?
?¡°You should stop hiding now ande out. Despite having nt-based abilities, even you are not immortal, you know.¡±
Horas spoke to the unnamed viiness that was hiding around in this dungeon, looking for a chance to attack him and Howard. She had never been given a name in the original novel either, only a title.
Poison Ivy, the viiness who could control nts. She was a C-Ranked viiness whose mission was to kidnap a promising first-year student. And she had set her eyes on Howard Spencer, the first-ranked student.
As expected, the viiness did note out even after being taunted by Horas but she had given a small but audible reaction.
Horas immediately aimed his gun and shot a few shots.
A few of them connected with the nt-based viiness and blood dropped on the ground. But her wounds would not stick around for long.
Since Horas had not used his special mana bullets, any wound made by his gun was superficial. Any effective healing skill would heal the wound in a matter of seconds.
¡°Howard, stay behind me if you want to live. Don¡¯t face the viiness head-on, alright?¡±
Horas knew Howard was more than capable of looking after himself but the less exposure he had to the other side, the better it would be for his future encounters.
As of now, Howard was the only known key, the ultimate cheat of this world. And his survival would be Horas¡¯s only key back home. (That did not mean that Horas had to get closer to the protagonist. He just needed the protagonist until the end fight.)
¡°Will you be alright? I can help you out and -¡±
¡°Kid, stay out of this fight. No matter how well you fight, you have never faced a sealed environment before. You will not be able to handle it. Just keep yourself alive.¡±
Howard might be powerful but a sealed environment caused one¡¯s skills to drop at a fixed level. That was how dungeons worked and the problem strong people found in these dungeons.
Flexibility was often the key to conquering them.
¡°Don¡¯t ignore me. I might have lost to you and your pet yesterday but your abilities are limited in a dungeon. I wonder how well you will be able to perform in here.¡±
Poison Ivy finally came out of her hiding spot. Her body was covered by a protective cocoon of veins with thorns and her green skin looked sickly.
[[[Scanning avable data.
Name: Marita Zuzue, Poison Ivy
Affiliation: Viins organization, C-ranked.
Danger level: caution]]]
Horas stood on alert and fired a few shots at Poison Ivy, but the viiness split her body into smaller parts, avoiding the attack.
¡°A few small balls of lead are not going to hurt me anymore. You see, I have you all figured out now, ¡®Mr. Grim Reaper¡¯.¡±
Horas stopped shooting once he noticed that it was of no use. Normal bullets would not work at all. He needed something new if he wanted to capture this viiness again.
¡°A C-rank viiness? What are you doing in the Esper¡¯s academy? How did you even get in here?¡±
Howard questioned, forgetting everything Horas had asked him to do. He was advertising his existence freely even when he was asked not to interfere.
The viiness turned her attention toward Howard with a greedy look in her eyes but Howard missed it. Horas was mortified as well as embarrassed to have written such a dense character and he could not help but sigh in pain.
Horas raised his gun and shot the veins reaching out toward Howard. That caused Howard to jump, suddenly realizing that he was not as safe as he had believed himself to be.
¡°Well, you know how it is. When you see someone talented, you just gotta have them. Don¡¯t tell me you never had this feeling before in your life.¡±
Poison Ivy¡¯s voice was smooth and interesting. Her attention did not move away from Howard even when he tried to move out of her line of sight.
¡°I¡¯m thirteen. How about you take your interest somewhere else?¡±
Howard replied, finally realizing that Poison Ivy was talking about him when she spoke. His face was a shade greener as Horas shot a few more veins that wereing far too close to Howard.
He even brought his sword out to defend himself from the veins nearing his body.
¡°A, don¡¯t be like that kid. I swear that you won¡¯t feel anything but pleasure once you join us.¡±
Horas decided that it was enough talking and he had bought the academy more than enough time to act around.
He had sent a signal for ¡®help¡¯ as soon as he had noticed Poison Ivy and Principal Marbel were on the move now.
///WARNING: INTERUDER ALERT.///
¡®Finally. What took the academy so long to start an alert like this?¡¯
Horas could not believe the dy time. It was something he would have to fix once he got a chance to and he would drag Mark into his reforms as well.
¡°You! When did you have the time to¡ª NO, never mind. Hand over the kid to me right now.¡±
Poison Ivy reached out behind Horas¡¯s back using his blind spot. Horas was taken aback by the sudden speed the viiness showed.
Horas turned around, ready to shoot the attacking veins when Howard brought his sword out and blocked the attack. It hit the veins, cleaving right through them easily.
Poison Ivy hissed as the sword cut through her attacks. She had taken some damage as a result of the iing attack as well but she collected her wits and smiled.
¡°See, I was right. You are the right fit for our side. Your mercilessness shall be known throughout the world once you join us.¡±
¡°As if I want to join you guys. Just leave me alone.¡±
Howard was getting creeped out by this weirddy as well. Howard needed to put an end to Poison Ivy¡¯s obsession.
¡®Well, looks like I have no other choice but to use force.¡¯
Horas finally took out his mana bullets and loaded them. A single shot caused Poison Ivy to fall and clutch her bleeding arm.
¡°Is that it? A small wound like this would not-¡±
Poison Ivy never finished her words because her arm crystallized. And then the rest of her body followed suit until only her head was left.
She tried to escape but the more Poison Ivy tried to resist, the more her body solidifies until she was not even able to move anymore.
¡°You! What the hell did you do to me?¡±
Poison Ivy questioned, trying to break free from her binds. But the more she tried, the harder the crystal sucked her energy out.
¡°It would be better for you to stay put and go back to your cell like a good girl. I don¡¯t have the patience to y with you.¡±
Horas made his way to Poison Ivy, now looming over her and positioning his gun directly in her face. He would kill her if he needed to do so.
Poison Ivy looked terrified for a second before understanding shed across her eyes. Her cold gaze had a sliness to it and it unnerved Horas.
¡°You are as cold as people say. No wonder you drove your only friend into a mad frenzy. It was all your fault., right? The incident with the bloodhound. It was all your fault that-¡±
Poison Ivy¡¯s face was gleeful when she started speaking. But the more she spoke, the more unaffected Horas looked.
Howard looked interested in the talk but Horas decided to put a stop to the viiness¡¯s babbling. A single shot knocked Poison Ivy out cold before she could say anything else.
There was no blood and no wound when Horas shot Poison Ivy but Howard still jumped in shock and approached the unconscious Poison Ivy.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have not killed her yet. There is still much that we need to get out of a viiness like her.¡±
Horas assured Howard but he seemed not to believe him. He had to check for himself that the viiness was breathing all right.
Horas let him do what he needed to feel reassured. And Howard had a sheepish and embarrassed look on his face once he pulled back from the unconscious body of the viiness.
¡°Horas, are you alright? I saw your message but you said you had everything under control so I did not interfere. Do you have the prisoner with you?¡±
Instructor Harris entered the dungeon in a sh. He looked worried but understanding shed across his face as soon as he saw the unconscious body of the viiness at Howard¡¯s feet.
¡°I knocked her out for now. Make sure she is not able to escape this time at least.¡±
A little aggression slipped into Horas¡¯s voice. He had not meant to be snappy but his agitation had shown up on his face. Instructor Harrisughed it off in a good mood as he picked up the unconscious Poison Ivy.
¡°Got it, kid. We will take care of the prisoner this time and keep an eye on her. And about Howard-¡±
¡°I know the protocol so you can go. I will get him checked by Lady Heals before I send him back.¡±
"Sure, you do that. And maybe, also make a friend along the way."
Chapter 42 Ch 40: Check Up And More
?Howard was embarrassed to say that he had judged Horas a little too early.
As soon as Poison Ivy¡¯s body hit the ground, his heart lunged painfully as well. He was almost sure that Horas had killed the elderdy somehow.
Howard had even doubted the older teen¡¯s words when he had insisted on his innocence and his face felt hot as a result.
¡®No, it is not my fault. Anyone else would have been mistaken by the viiness¡¯s talk as well. Especially after thest words she spoke.¡¯
Most people might not know what ident the viiness had been talking about but Howard Spencer knew. It was all because of Jack and his extensivework of information that found this news out.
Esper¡¯s academy tried very hard to hide the fact that the infamous bloodhound used to be a part of them. But not everything could be hidden in this world.
¡®But Jack never said that Horas was a part of that ident. How old would Horas have been? 7? 8? How did someone that young even get admitted into Esper¡¯s academy?¡¯
Howard had a lot of questions but he held his tongue until instructor Harris left with the criminal.
¡°Howard Spencer, follow me now. I will take you to get checked up by Lady Heals. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a basic procedure and nothing more.¡±
Howard tried to calm himself down. His instincts red up any time he faced a doctor but he knew that he was safe in the Esper¡¯s academy. He would not be made to take weird tests.
He easily fell in step behind Horas and observed the man in front of him.
¡°So, did you know the viiness known as ¡®Bloodhound?¡¯ I heard that she used to be a part of the Esper¡¯s academy a long time ago and now she has a grudge.¡±
Howard was prying into Horas¡¯s business but his curiosity was too much. Jack had once told him that his curiosity would be the end of him, but Howard could not pick this part of him apart.
If he found something as interesting, he needed to know more about it at any cost.
¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it so leave it be.¡±
Horas cut Howard off in between speaking. He did not want to air out his dirtyundry in front of unnecessary people.
And usually, Howard would never let it get him to stop asking more questions. But this time he did. There was just a feeling inside his heart that asked Howard not to persuade this topic any longer.
¡®It¡¯s weird, right? I am not someone who considers others¡¯ feelings often. But for some reason, I don¡¯t want to get on Horas¡¯s bad side.¡¯
Howard fell quite soon after that and it did not take them long to reach Lady Heals¡¯s room.
The nurse was not in the room but Horas seemed to know where she was. Horas walked up to the side room door and knocked.
Howard recognized the adventurer who walked out.
[[[Code name : Lady Heals.
Real Name: Sarah Mills, A-ss]]]
Wild red hair was blown all over thedy¡¯s head and her eyes were hazed with sleep. But Howard still felt a shiver go down his spine as a pair of wild golden eyes met his own.
¡°This better be important Horas. I just managed to fall asleep afterst night¡¯s emergency case and the rush of students from before. Why do all the important things happen at the same time?¡±
Lady Healsined as she steadied herself.
Despite herints about being tired and her cranky tone, Lady Heals got up to do her work. Her gaze was strong and unwavering as she looked Howard up and down.
¡°Sorry Sarah, but you will have to do a routine check-up on Howard here. We just found the viiness who broke out of her prison and Howard had a little run-in with her. We need to make sure he¡¯s not bugged or anything.¡±
Sarah sighed, her tiredness showing on her face.
¡°You don¡¯t need to check me right now if you are too tired. I cane backter and-¡±
¡°Kid, sit down right now. The sooner I get done with you, the better it will be for my time. It will only take a minute anyway.¡±
Lady Heals took hold of Howard¡¯s arm and dragged him down. Howard expected Lady Heals to tug gently but her force was too much.
Before Howard knew it, he had been pulled into a sitting position and a green light covered his body. Foreign mana was lurking inside Howard¡¯s body now and it felt rather ufortable.
But before Howard could get used to this feeling, the mana retreated and Howard was pushed back.
¡°Found no abnormalities in his mana, but there was a huge amount of concentrated pollen in his bloodstream. Let me look for the right potion and you should be good to go.¡±
Howard was handed a potion which he swallowed and sleepiness hit him.
¡°Don¡¯t fight the potion and go to sleep. You can head back to your room when you wake up. Horas will tell your teachers what happened and why you were excused.¡±
Howard wanted to stay awake but he had been asked by the doctor not to resist. In the end, the potion won and Howard fell asleep.
When he woke up hourster, the medical hall was empty and the note on the side desk said that he was free to go.
¡¡¡¡..¡¡¡¡..
Horas breathed a sigh of relief as soon as Howard Spencer went to sleep.
He knew that the protagonist would be alright but that did not help his anxiety in this case. The protagonist could not be allowed to die or the future of this world was uncertain.
¡°Now that one person has been taken care of, it¡¯s time I check my other patient as well. Horas Spencer, you sit down and get checked by me as well.¡±
Horas was almost out of the door when he was grabbed and made to sit by Ledy Heals. It had been a near thing and Horas was bitter about being caught.
¡®Shit! I thought I could get away this time for sure.¡¯
¡°Stop being a baby. It¡¯ll only take a minute.¡±
No matter how many times Horas had been through this same process, he could not get used to the feeling of mana swirling around his body. He would instinctively reject any foreign object in his body.
¡°Alright, you are done. There is a small amount of pollen in your bloodstream as well but your body will flush it out with time. You do not require any medicine.¡±
Horas breathed a sigh of relief as he was let go. It was always a good check-up when Horas was not handed more medicines to take.
¡°That reminds me, how are your nights? Are you still being gued by those nightmares?¡±
Lady Heals was Horas¡¯s primary doctor and also the one overlooking his nightly routine. She knew the most about his mental health.
¡°There is no change there and I don¡¯t think the prescribed medicine is working. We might need to change the dose again.¡±
Lady Heals groaned as soon as she heard that.
¡°Of course, we will need to. This is the third time this year. I swear your body is adapting faster and faster every time we change the medicine.¡±
Horas agreed with Lady Heals. He had been given medicine and potions to make his nights dreamless but it only worked for a short while before the procedure stopped working.
Unless Horas ended up finding someone with a ¡®dream-rted¡¯ ability, it would be near impossible to tell what was wrong with him.
¡°Sorry for all the trouble. I should head back and report today¡¯s incident now.¡±
Lady Heals just waved back at Horas, knowing she could not do much for him. His illness was not physical so she could not help him much in that regard.
Horas¡¯s next stop was Principal Marbel¡¯s room to hand in his report and then he headed back to his room.
The metallic pet cat, Tora was curled up on his bed and Horas pushed her to the side to quickly get into the bed.
But before he fell asleep, a new message showed up on Horas¡¯s screen. The sudden light and sound of the text caused Horas to yelp and wake up Tora.
He got a bleeding scratch and an apologist metallic cat as a result.
¡°It¡¯s alright Tora, Sorry for spooking you.¡±
Horas apologized as he sat down on the bed to check his system message.
[[[Invitation to participate in the newly opened D-ranked dungeon. Only adventurers below the age of 20 and freshly appointed will be chosen.
You are being invited as in charge of the operation along with another senior adventurer. Kindly consent for further instructions.]]]
Horas asionally got such open invitations and he had quite the experience under his belt because of this reason.
Surprisingly, nothing overly significant had happened in the past 11 years. But it all had changed now.
Since it was time for the real story to start Horas would have to be careful.
¡°Didn¡¯t Jack Hollow rmend Howard to participate in this dungeon while being under covered? This is a major event that will introduce Reed into the story.''
And for that reason, Horas decided he would ignore this message.
Chapter 43 Ch 41: Old Encounters [Pt1]
?Howard Spencer finally got to rx in his bed after much dy. His second day at Esper¡¯s academy had been full of action and anticipation.
He had evene face to face with a viin and made ¡®friends¡¯ with someone suspicious.
Howard was about to fall asleep finally when he got an iing message from Jack Hollow of all people. The elder had been the sole reason Howard had be the power he had been in the first ce.
So as much as Howard did not want to pick up the phone, he felt like he had no other choice but to pick it up.
/Howard, how was the first day of your academy life? Was it as exciting as you expected?¡¯/
Jack sounded excited when he asked the question. His voice sounded a pitch higher than it was supposed to be and that gave away how fake his concern was.
¡®Look at him, asking all these questions as if Jack doesn¡¯t already know what happened. I am sure he¡¯s just calling back to ask me useless questions.¡¯
¡°The day was exciting. We chose our weapons and even got to enter a dungeon for beginners. I have to say that it was an exciting day.¡±
/Hoh. And this excitement had nothing to do with the viiness you encountered today?/
Of course, Jack knew about that already. This man had an incredible informationwork and he somehow knew every piece of news before it was officially out.
¡°So you already know about it? Well, nothing happened there. Instructor Harris arrived on time and I got protected by our teaching aid. Ah, his name is Horas and he¡¯s quite young but powerful. He also looks like he¡¯s been in this academy for a long time and the students all know him¡Jack, are you alright?¡±
Howard could not help but notice how weird it was for Jack to fall quite like this. Usually, the older man liked to ask questions since they tended to draw out unexpected details.
But this time, Jacky quiet, not even making any noise.
¡°Jack, are you there? Did your brain freeze or something?¡±
Howard tried again, this time his voice even louder than before. Jack finally looked up with a startled look in his eyes.
¡°Sorry, I was out of it for a minute. So Horas is your teaching aid, huh? What a coincidence.¡±
Howard wanted to say that Jack was startled but that would be an overestimation. But then again, Jack was someone who was never caught off-guard. So this startled look was a first for him.
It made Howard feel like he was missing something important.
¡°Jack, do you know Horas-¡±
¡°Well, enough about your second day at the academy, I have something for you to take a look at. I sent you a message just now.¡±
Howard looked down at his screen, only to see a message about a new dungeon opening. It was about a D-ranked dungeon.
¡°You want me to participate in this? But it only takes the recently passed adventurers, and I don¡¯t think I cut the age range.¡±
The age range was from 15-20 years old. Howard was only 13 right now so he could not possibly participate in this.
Besides, he had never gone to a dungeon above grade E before. He was not confident that he would be able to clear it at his current strength level. He would be a liability if he went in.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about your age or your experience. I will pull some strings and get you a temporary identity. You can disguise yourself and participate in this dungeon. It will be the best way for you to gain experience.¡±
Jack Hollow was forceful and Howard felt his uneasiness spike. It happened often when he talked with Jack.
For someone as chill as Jack, he sure could be forceful about most random things.
¡®And when Jack is like this, it is best to give in.¡¯
¡°Alright, I will fill out this form and participate for now. Are you happy now?¡±
Howard sighed as he made his decision and Jack finally looked satisfied as well.
¡°Yeah, that''s fantastic. You will need to raise your level quickly if you want revenge on the people who killed your parents and Julie. Don¡¯t you want to make them pay?¡±
Howard did want the people who took his only family away to pay. But he was more terrified of theming back for him and his current family.
¡®I guess this dungeon is my ticket to getting stronger.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
¡®I declined this invitation, right? I am so sure that I DID DO THAT.¡¯
Horas remembered refusing the dungeon invitation to get away from this specific situation but he still found himself here for some reason.
¡°Well, look who it is. I did not think I will get to see you again in this life, Horas Spencer. You did ignore all my messages and even ignore them when I directly tried to call you.¡±
Out of everyone, Horas could have met, he somehow met Jack Hollow out of everyone. He was almost sure that Jack was half the reason Horas had ended up in his current situation.
¡°I am so d that your guardian agreed for you toe here. I will have to send Principal Marbel a ¡®thank you¡¯ gift in return.¡±
As soon as Horas heard it, he was sure that it was 100% Jack¡¯s fault he ended uping here. He surely had a big hand in ¡®persuading¡¯ Principal Marbel to send Horas here.
¡°Anyway, I heard that you met Howard Spencer yesterday. So, how was it? Meeting your bro-¡±
¡°You are talking too much, I liked you better when you were just an old memory in my mind. Anyway, what do you want Jack hollow? You better tell me quickly because I don¡¯t have much time.¡±
Horas stood tall with his head held high. He was not going to show his weakness in front of Jack.
¡°Well, what I want is something that will happen with time. Oh, and I can see that I am making youte so I should let you go now. Have fun, Horas.¡±
Jack left just as quickly as he had arrived. His presence never failed to cause Horas¡¯s headaches.
¡°Mister Horas, you are being called to the briefing room. Your partner is here already,¡±
Horas sighed and finally headed in.
After all, there was no point in trying to make sense of Jack¡¯s words. All this talk about fate, and what was going to happen gave Horas a bad taste in his mouth.
¡°Yes, I heard you. I aming so just give me a sec.¡±
Horas took onest look at the outside world before he headed in. After the briefing, he and his partner instructor would have a quick look at the dungeon for the first time.
It was protocol to do so before letting rookies into such a dangerous ce.
Horas did not know who his partner was but he was not very hopeful. Often, the senior adventurer chosen turned out to be a hindrance and utterly hopeless.
Most people were here to build reputation and fame after all, not to show themselves aspetent.
The first thing Horas noticed once he entered the room was that his fellow instructor was female and had short brown hair and brown eyes. But the presence of a familiar scar across her face pulled Horas¡¯s attention.
¡°Yo, long time no see Horas. It¡¯ll be nice to work with you again.¡±
Horas blinked, trying to remember why this female looked so familiar to him. But nothing strikes his mind at that moment.
And then his mind decided to remember that scar and that shade of brown.
¡°Nesh, it''s been forever since west met each other. I did not expect you to be the senior adventurer chosen for this role.¡±
Horas was surprised but not shocked. He had just not seen Nesh ever since she and Lucas had graduated.
¡°Yeah, it sure had dude. Being an adventurer sure keeps you busy all the time. You don¡¯t know how many nights I had to spend in a mucus-filled dungeon just to clear it. It¡¯s a tough world out there for us.¡±
Neshined but she looked happy for someone who was dealing with all these inconveniences. Horas was happy for her.
¡°It¡¯s nice to see both of you here. Here is all the data we were able topile about this dungeon. The rest you¡¯ll have to gather once you go in.¡±
There really was not much data avable, but Horas still took the offered package and quickly looked through it.
It seemed like this dungeon was based on modern times and it had a lot of tall buildings. It made it much more difficult to tell where the boss monster would be located.
¡°Well Horas, looks like we will need to go in and find the boss first. Let¡¯s have a good time in there.¡±
Horas held the information packet close to himself and sighed. Things were never easy when it came to dungeons and clearing them.
Theck of information could turn out to be fatal so Horas decided to be careful. He entered the dungeon with Nesh and instantly started scanning it.
the first thing they needed to do was to make a map of this ce and to know where the dangerous monsters were at.
Chapter 44 Ch 42: Old Encounters [Pt2]
?The dungeon was interesting, to say the least. It was a good mix of modern and fantasy worlds, itsndscape almost apocalyptical in structure.
The town still had buildings standing up but they were abandoned and in bad shape. Many would copse if you even stepped into them and the others had toxic substances coating their surface.
So naturally, Horas did not take the risk of entering any building. All he did was collect samples for the other team to investigate and a few other tinkers that might prove to be useful in the future.
On the other hand, Nash was busy running around, trying to catch monsters to study and scan. Her-like projectiles had gotten much more powerful and were able to stop bigger monsters now.
Other than that, they also mapped out the main areas of the dungeon and marked down the open-world challenges. That was what the first investigation was all about.
¡°I think we have done enough looking around. We should head back now and hand in all our samples.¡±¡¯
Nesh looked tired when she suggested this. She was covered in grim and other questionable substances while Yohan was rtively cleaner. It was most likely due to the nature of their work.
¡°Alright, If you want to go back then we can. I am about done with my side of the work as well.¡±
Horas agreed easily enough once he bottled the water.
It looked contaminated and unhygienic to drink. But it was the most precious resource in any dungeon so they needed to know what it could contain.
¡°By the way, we found quite a lot of puzzles and trails down here. How did you even find that many in such a short time?¡±
Nesh sounded curious when she asked Horas. She had looked around the whole day as well but she had not found even 1/3rd of the content Horas had found out.
It was as if he knew where he needed to go if he wanted to find a hidden door or a trap. And he had also pulled Nesh away from some hidden traps she had not noticed.
¡°Ah-haha, it must be luck. I¡¯m sure I just got lucky this time and happen to stumble upon some of these hidden trails. Let¡¯s not think too much about this, alright?¡±
Horas quickly turned the topic to a safer one. He did not want to talk about how he knew where some of the hidden traps were.
After all, he could not juste out and say that he knew these hidden locations because he was the one who created them in the first ce.
This dungeon had been the very first he had written in detail so Horas remembered a lot about it. As such, it was easy for him to decode it despite it being his first time here.
¡°Well, your luck sure managed to strike this time. Man, I cannot wait to take a hot shower once I head back home.¡±
Nesh stretched her body out, trying to get the pains and other aches out of her joints. She had been running around the whole day and it was beginning to take a toll on her body now.
Horas was sore as well but he was more worried than he was relieved.
¡®We did not see the roaming boss of this dungeon. I will have to be especially vignt when wee back.¡¯
The boss of this dungeon was a roaming-type creature. There was no fixed boss room and the adventurers needed to be careful whening face-to-face with such a boss.
Horas remembered writing about many unimportant characters dying during the protagonist¡¯s first time here. The roaming boss had taken their party off guard and killed off a bunch of them.
The protagonist, who had not realized his powerlessness when sealed, had tried to fight the boss, only to get defeated and almost killed off before he had been saved by the infamous ¡®blood hound¡¯.
And that had been Reed Whinstone¡¯s introduction in the story as well as the beginning of her obsession with Howard Spencer.
¡®In the end, neither the boss nor Reed showed up. Should I consider it as sess or failure?¡¯
Horas sighed as he followed Nesh out of the dungeon. The entrance was sealed behind his back and then the connection was cut off. No one else would be able to go in and out of this dungeon.
¡°If you are done, then hand your samples over. You are free to head out once you are done.¡±
The scientist who was in charge of this operation informed the pair. He gestured toward the side table where containers to keep the hidden goods were located and Horas deposited his inventory into it.
¡°I¡¯ll be right back once I hand the monsters over to the research. Don¡¯t wait up for me Horas.¡±
Nesh left the room with a bounce in her step. She seemed excited at the notion of a bath and Horas decided not to wait around for her.
He headed back to the academy but the day had already ended. It was time for everyone to be in their beds and prepare for the next day.
But Horas knew from experience that most students disregarded this rule and had fun on a Friday night. They took full advantage of having their weekend off.
Horas could have fulfilled his role as a teaching aid and gone after these people, but he decided not to in the end.
These children deserved to have a good time and Horas was not going to take it away from them. They could do what they wanted to, as long as they stayed safe and on private property.
¡°Aid Horas? What are you doing out here?¡±
Horas flinched when he heard Emma¡¯s voice. The younger girl had managed to sneak up on him.
¡®Ugh, I can take it when *normal* students are breaking curfew but not one of the protagonists. It always spells trouble when they do.¡¯
Horas was tired and sleepy but he still knew he could not allow Emma Dew to break curfew like this. Something would surely happen if she was out and about like this.
¡°Must I remind you Miss Dew that I am a staff member and it is my petrol duty the school around to look for those breaking curfew? And you are certainly breaking it by being out here.¡±
Emma looked taken aback, her face going red and then pale. She opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again.
Her hands had a small first-aid kit which seemed to have been recently used.
¡°I-umm, that is to say¨CI did not mean to?¡±
Emma Dew seemed to be at a loss for words and getting more and more flushed by the second. Her face was as red as ever and Horas could swear that steam wasing out of her ears.
¡®Maybe I should tone my scolding down a little bit. I don¡¯t think Emma can take much more.¡¯
After all, Emma Dew had been a spoilt brat in the original work. Her rich family background as well as advanced training made her one of the most influential peopleter on.
She was also shrewd and ck-hearted, only being soft for her childhood friend - Howard Spencer. So maybe Horas should treat her a little better.
¡°I¡¯ll be heading in now.¡±
In the end, Emma ended up running away, leaving Horas all alone in that hallway. Horas decided not to think about this encounter too much and go to sleep.
Tomorrow was the first day of dungeon exploration after all.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
¡®C-Calm down Emma. Everything is alright and Horas let you go. Don¡¯t be so self-conscious about yourself.¡¯
Emma scolded herself even as her face got redder and redder. She had not meant to talk back to Horas like that but it had happened naturally.
Moreover, her heart had skipped a beat when Horas had talked to her and her insides had tingled ufortably.
¡®What else could it be but my crush taking over me? Why else would I feel hot and cold at the same time when talking to a guy? Even Howard never made me feel this way.¡¯
Emma was a little confused by her feelings since this was nothing like what the books described as ¡®having a crush.¡¯
The mushy and gushy feeling that other girls described to her when they fell in love. It was also different from what she felt when she was with Howard and spent time with him.
¡®B-But I am sure that the feeling of my heart skipping a beat is due to love. I am not sick and Horas is not scary. I just need to get closer to him to find out my true feelings.¡¯
Emma¡¯s mind did a good job of convincing herself of her beliefs. She was ready to face him the next time Horas came to her.
¡®I need to figure out what I feel for him. I cannot allow my feelings for Horas and Howard to keep on mixing up with each other. I need to be decisive and take a stand on whom I like more.¡¯
Emma was conflicted but determined. She needed to fix her indecisiveness and go after her target with full force. She would not give up and she would not lose.
Chapter 45 Ch 43: Into The Dungeon Again [Pt1]
?Horas looked at the gathered adventurers in front of him. Most of them did not look that impressive to him. He quickly nced over their profiles to know what he was dealing with.
Only the ck-haired guy called Howard Plumb looked to be somewhatpetent in the first batch of 10 participants. But Horas knew that ¡®Howard Plumb¡¯ was Howard Spencer, the protagonist.
He was currently in a disguise that was given to him by Jack Hollow and his new identity had also been crafted by the same man.
¡®Just how much influence does Jack Hollow have to even be able to pull this off?¡¯
Pulling a rug over the dungeon and adventurer association¡¯s eyes was not easy. But maybe for a secretary of the former no.1 guild, it was not a big deal.
¡°These people are not going tost long in the dungeon. The only one I feel confident taking in is that ck-haired guy standing on the side. The rest looks like they could care less about what happened to them.¡±
Of course, Nesh had noticed it as well and now she was pointing it out.
Horas knew very well what had happened here and he was not surprised to see the oue.
Most of the adventurers chosen for the first round were ones that hade from rmendations and not from their actual skill assessment. Horas was even willing to believe that none of them had entered any dungeon above F-level.
¡®Maybe this D-rank dungeon might prove to be a little too much for most of them. I almost feel like calling this expedition off.¡¯
Horas did want that but the burning brown eyes looking at him did not allow him to do that.
He had to remind himself that this dungeon was an important plot point that was supposed to take ce. He could not back out now that it had been decided.
¡°Just grin and do it. We will end the day early if something truly terrible does happen.¡±
Nesh¡¯s words did not inspire any confidence in Horas. If anything, they made him much more annoyed than he thought he would be.
¡®It¡¯ll alright just do not think about it more than you have to.¡¯
Horas took in a deep breath and stood in front of the group. He quickly looked around, only to realize that he was the youngest by age. (sparing Howard because Howard was cheating)
¡°I wee you all to the dungeon team. You all were handed the rules and the pamphlet beforehand and I hope you all read that. For any specific information, refer to your system database and be careful inside.¡±
Horas quickly summarized the important parts but he could see that people were still curious.
Curious and a little pissed off as they noticed him.
¡°Hey, why is a kid leading us? Do you even have the experience necessary-¡±
¡°Yes, I do and I will not hear anyints about my age once we are inside. If you have a problem then quit right now.¡±
Horas did not take into consideration the provocation. He had experienced it too many times by now to be concerned about it.
He still remembered the first time he had joined a ¡®real¡¯ dungeon exploration team. He had been 10 back then and everyone had a bone to pick with him.
¡°You all, Horas here is more than qualified (maybe a little over qualified) to babysit you all so make sure you follow his lead. You will be ck-listed from any future explorations if you do not show proper respect.¡±
The adventurers who had joined the team looked ufortable and pissed off. They also looked like they did not believe Nesh¡¯s words about being ck-listed.
They all had connections so they were not worried. But they still decided not to risk getting in trouble with the senior adventure.
¡°Umm, excuse me but there is information missing in our system¡¯s data. Is this a technical fault?¡±
Horas was surprised to hear Howard talk in such a tense atmosphere. His expression said that he was actually surprised and genuinely curious to know why data was missing in such a manner.
No one else seemed to have considered it (or even read the report mailed to them) so they looked confused as well.
¡°This is a newly formed dungeon so you cannot expect the association to have all the data avable. That is why we all are here today - to gather data and to explore this ce.¡±
¡°And since it seems like no one read the information package sent to you, I will stress it out - if you find the boss, do not engage inbat and wait for others toe and find you. You will die if you are not careful.¡±
Horas¡¯s words held no humor in them and they caused a lot of people to gulp down in nervousness.
Suddenly, half of the gathered adventurers looked scared for their lives while the other half looked like they could not care less.
With such a mixed and matched gathering, Horas decided it was finally time to enter the dungeon. The timer had started already.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
Howard looked toward the group that had gathered for the dungeon exploration and he could not help but find them weird.
From what he had heard, this group was the first wave of dungeon explorers and had been carefully selected from the bunch that had applied.
He had expected them to be the cream of the top, the best of the best. But they all looked and sounded like dead weight to him. Many had not even read the information package that the association had sent them.
But most of all, no one except him was taking Horas seriously. They looked at Horas as if he was an annoyance rather than their leader.
¡®Does age matter that much to these people? How would their pride feel if I defeat all of them? I think I can do that easily.¡¯
From the way these people walked to the way they stood, everything seemed as if they were not interested to be here but were forced toe.
¡®Why do these people evene here when they don¡¯t want to? Will it cause trouble for meter? Shall I do something about this?¡¯
Howard was worried about what would happen next but he still decided to take his time and think his options through.
In the end, he decided to leave things be as they were. It was not his responsibility to ensure that these people behaved.
Besides, Jack had specifically asked Howard not to draw attention to himself. He needed to gather experience without anyone knowing.
¡°From here onwards the dungeon will start. Once we are in, we will not be able to go out again until the timer hits zero. So you all should make sure you have all the necessities.¡±
Nesh instructed for thest time but no one seemed to have anything they wanted from the outside world. It was finally time for them to head inside.
The world shifted and changed around the group as they passed through the gate. The lines that surrounded them faded and the metal was reced by the concrete of the cityscape.
The destroyed buildings still looked ready to copse.
People behind Nesh took in a deep breath as they had their first look at this destroyed ce. They had not expected such a toxic environment despite having been told of such beforehand.
¡°You all are free to head out and look for clues. But remember, call me or Horas if you find something you cannot handle alone. Especially if you find the boss, you have to call us.¡±
The adventurers nodded to show that they understood before they left the scene. Horas took a seat beside Nesh on the only clean surface around them.
Then, he took out small ck objects from his inventory and let them fly all around him. Their ssy camera blinked at Horas and he opened his system screen, only to see his face.
¡°What is this? Some new tech you have been developing? I thought that cameras did not work in the dungeon due to all the electromaic waves they created.¡±
Nesh, being the curious one, tried to touch one of the small recorders. But Horas pulled her hand back before she could touch the small ck object.
¡°Don¡¯t touch these machines or they will break. These are still prototypes of a new experiment Mark is conducting. He wants to see how well these cameras will work in toxic environments.¡±
Horas exined as he allowed these cameras to disperse. The image they formed was not clear but it was better than nothing.
These cameras followed the 10 adventurers Horas and Nesh were looking after. It was a good way to keep an eye on them for now.
¡°Hoh? Well, this seems to be handy. Make sure you hand me one once they are finished developing.¡±
Horas shook his head at Nesh¡¯s greedy voice. She was certainly interested.
¡°Hey Horas, look at that. I think that guy is in trouble.¡±
Horas quickly looked at the camera screen but he knew that there was only one person who would get into trouble this quickly.
And once he looked down, it was Howard Spencer who was the cause of Nesh¡¯s concern.
Chapter 46 Ch 44: Into The Dungeon Again [Pt2]
?Howard happily minded his own business when it happened. A small mine exploded, causing a small explosion and making monsters aware of his position.
In Howard''s defense, he had not meant to step foot on that mine, but it happened without him knowing. And now he was running away from the monsters and right into the city''s heart.
¡®Fuck. How do I even call for help in this situation? These monsters will just not leave me alone.¡¯
Howard needed to find shelter to call for help. He was also in no position to take these monsters on since he did not have any weapon on hand that would not be recognized.
¡®What should I do now?¡¯
Howard cursed as he headed into the nearest abandoned building. The smaller monsters followed after him, not minding the dark and crampy space they were being made to crawl into.
But finally, Howard¡¯s lucky break came and he hid underneath a small desk. It was just low enough to keep him out of the monster¡¯s sight and Howard did not dy sending out a signal for help.
It would take some time for help to arrive so Howard would have to survive until then.
One of the monsters managed to pierce the table Howard was hiding under and the w missed him by a few inches. He had gotten so lucky to be avoided by these ws.
The monster looked surprised but then left the room. And Howard decided to go out in the open.
A small ck blob followed after him and Howard was suspicious about its intentions. But it did not harm him so Howard decided to leave it be.
The monsters managed to find him as soon as Howard entered an open space and he knew he would not be able to avoid fighting any longer.
He held his small de in his hand and was about to unleash his skill - a single strike when the monster threatening him fell dead.
A clean cut had managed to serve the huge monster¡¯s neck clean and the thread shined with blood in the daylight.
¡°Alright, we have secured this area. Horas, you are up for thest part of this clean-up.¡±
It was Instructor Nesh, the one responsible for looking after them who saved the day. Her string technique was incredible and Howard suddenly wanted to learn it.
He was sure that with his ability-
[[[Special skills cannot be copied. The host will not be able to gain corresponding effects]]]
Howard¡¯s excitement came plumping down as soon as his system decided this for him. He was salty but also satisfied at seeing such an amazing skill. He wanted to possess it but he was not greedy.
Nesh¡¯s speed wasmendable but Horas was even faster than her when it came to dealing with monsters. He took out one monster in one shot, his hand not wavering from his sky-high position.
¡°Everything is clear on my end. How is the student fairing?¡±
Horas asked over the inte and Nesh turned toward Howard to ask him.
¡°I am alright. I¡¯m not hurt or anything.¡±
Howard reassured, wanting to lessen his interaction with Horas. If there was one person who could recognize the ¡®real¡¯ him, it would be Horas.
There was silence on the other end of the inte so Howard did not know what to make of it. He breathed a sigh of relief, almost thankful that he was in the clear when he saw Horas headed his way.
But then he tensed up, almost sure that he had been caught by Horas.
¡®Oh shoot. Don¡¯t tell me that Horas recognized me. Jack would kill me when he gets to know I messed up. What should I do now-¡¯
Howard had not realized it, but he had been stepping away from Horas all this time. In his haste, he even stepped on a hidden trail he had been making sure to avoid.
The ground broke apart beneath his feet and he fell.
¡°Oh fuck. Hey, watch out.¡±
Howard did not mean to reach out and catch Horas¡¯s hand. He did not mean to drag Howard down with him either.
But that was what ended up happening. And before either of them knew it, they were beneath the ground. The ground repaired itself above the pair¡¯s head and Howard nursed his bruised arm.
¡°So, what happens next? How do we figure out what this trail entitles and how do we get back home?¡±
Howard knew it was unfair of him to ask Horas for these answers. Horas had gotten stuck down here with him but it was not the elder¡¯s choice.
Still, there was a feeling inside Howard that said that he could trust the elder. And he decided to go with his guts.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
Horas almost lost hisposure and ended up cursing as he fell. He had not meant to end up down here with Howard Spencer of all people.
But knowing the protagonist¡¯s luck, he had not meant to end up down here in the first ce.
¡°So, what happens next? How do we figure out what this trail entitles and how do we get back home?¡±
Howard looked like he trusted Horas with his everything. It was too much pressure for Horas to take. It was not like he knew where they were anyway.
¡°Instructor Horas, are you alright? You do know where we are, right?¡±
Howard questioned again, his voice trusting and Horas decided to not tell him the truth. Besides, the protagonist would find a way to get out of there alive.
There was no point in worrying Howard over unnecessary fears.
¡°Of course, I know this trail. Follow after me and I shall take you out of here.¡±
Howard finally perked up after hearing Horas¡¯s words. His steps finally had a bounce he was famous for in the novel and his aura was shining.
The darkness around them was lightning up and it opened up into a familiar-looking meadow. The more Horas saw of his surroundings, the surer he was that he knew this ce.
All thatbination of green and blue reminded Horas of a few lines he had written.
/Beautiful green nts reflected in the blue of the meadow. A flower-filled field with colors dancing across thend. Petals falling from the sky, being blown away by the gentle winds.
Being in such a ce could make one forget all about their worries and make them realize how lucky they were to have found such a treasure.
This was how Howard felt about the first ray of hope in the darkness that this trail had trusted him into.
The loneliness he felt was being offset by this healing scenery he saw and his heart swelled with peace and longing./
How did Horas had managed to write something this cheesy? Had he been out of his mind? Maybe it was the influence of everything else he had read at that time.
¡°This looks like a good ce to rest for a while.¡±
Howard sat down on the bluegrass, its unnatural color shining in the bright light of the dungeon.
But Horas could not bring himself to rest easy. He was sure he had written something about this ce being dangerous but now he did not remember about it.
¡°We should be careful while roaming around here. There could be unknown monsters lurking around here since it¡¯s uncharted territory.¡±
Horas warned Howard before he could do anything stupid. And as soon as he did, the ground shook, causing him and Howard to call down on the ground.
¡®Now I remember. This is thend of the giants, the cursed race that caused thisnd to fall and also summon the final boss¡¯
¡°You,e and hide with me. It will be better for us not to be seen by these monsters.¡±
The giants were a much more intelligent racepared to others. They could recognize their prey and also hunted in groups. If you were marked by them then your chances of getting away were not very positive.
¡°W-What is going on? There was no report on such a monster in this dungeon.¡±
Howard responded surprised at the sudden appearance of the giants. It had, indeed, not been in the reports. But that was because the giants had not been found yesterday.
They might have been only present in this trial.
¡®I cannot believe I forgot all about the existence of these giants. And I even made sure to pay special attention to what could happen in this dungeon.¡¯
But in Horas¡¯s defense, it had been years in his previous life when he had written this story, never mind this current life. The human brain was not designed to retain memories for such a long time if they were not actively thinking about them.
And even then, time tended to blur out certain details over time.
¡°How do we get out of here?¡±
Howard asked, his eyes not looking away from the giants and their powerful fists. They could kill everyone if they were allowed to wander around freely.
¡°For now we wait here. I will ask Nesh to send the others out before we head out as well. That way, everyone will be safe and we will also be able to contain these giants in this dungeon."
This dungeon will be sealed and ressified once the news of these giants got out. But until then, Horas and Howard would have to survive on their own.
Chapter 47 Ch 45: Taken By A Bird [Pt1]
?¡°On the count of three, start running and get out of her with Nesh. She should be on her way down already. Go and find her once you get a chance to escape.¡±
Horas instructed as he got ready to shoot and distract the giants. He had nothing strong enough to take out giants in his inventory, but he had not thought he would need any.
Howard looked back at him with a worried expression, his eyes looking between Horas and the giants.
Horas was sure that his heroplex was rearing his ugly head right about now and he wanted to interfere with Horas¡¯s n and somehow ¡®save¡¯ him.
¡°Are you sure you would be alright? Should I not stay behind and help you out?¡±
Howard questioned in a low tone. His intentions of helping only made Horas more and more annoyed by the second.
¡°What is the use of ¡®me¡¯ distracting these giants if ¡®you¡¯ will not take advantage of it? Besides, I will have a better chance of escaping alone than being with you all the time.¡±
Horas finally lost his temper and raised his voice a little. Some of the giants looked up at the sudden noise but were unable to find the source of that noise.
Horas breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he realized that the giants had stopped looking at him. That had been a close call for him.
But that close call had been enough for Howard to rethink his options of staying behind.
¡°Alright, I will go out and call for help. On the count of three, right?¡±
Howard questioned despite already knowing the answer to his questions. Horas nodded as he got ready to shoot.
He fired in the opposite direction of where Howard was gearing up to run toward and the giants followed his lead beautifully.
They might have been a fairly intelligent race overall, but they were monsters in the end. They were ves to their instincts as well so they were not going to follow Howard.
Howard looked back at Horas with a mournful expression but he finally left.
¡®Finally, he left. I hope Howard finds the hidden cheat soon and puts an end to this dungeon. It is too dangerous to allow existing.¡¯
Horas had a secret reason for staying behind like this. It was to facilitate the story better and for Howard to get his hands on a cheat item.
Horas would have gone for the cheat himself but he knew it was not worth it for him. His current style of fighting prioritized speed over strength and having a skill that cut his speed stat in half was not worth it.
¡®But of course, it¡¯s different for the protagonist who has multiple speed-rted skills. Howard will be able to take care of himself.¡¯
The giants finally noticed that something was wrong after Howard had gone far enough. They looked at the ce where Horas was hiding and charged toward him.
He barely managed to escape the first big blow, but more decided to follow after the first one.
¡®Tsk, how frustrating this is. I cannot utilize any heavy artillery because of my strength limitations. Why does it not go up for me?¡¯
It was beyond frustrating for Horas but he had adapted at this point.
The giants followed after him with their heavy but slow steps which Horas easily avoided with the help of his skill - Swift move.
It cut his strength in half but increased his speed by double. It had been a dungeon reward Horas had received a long time ago.
And it was precise because of this skill that he could not get any strength-rted skill. This skill prevented any of that other skills from taking effect.
¡®Not that I need any strength. I just need to shoot properly and run away.¡¯
Horas kept on running until he was sure that Howard was out of the vicinity and would not be caught up in the st. Then, he led the giants into the side cave and ran in such a way as to end up at the entrance again.
The giants looked confused to see Horas in front of the entrance but it soon turned into rage.
¡°Well, I would like to entertain you all as well but I am on a rather tight schedule. So stay down here for a while and leave me alone.¡±
Horas shot the roof and it came falling. He had used the most destructive bullet he had and now he was truly empty.
But even that would not hold these giants back for long. Their thick skin was made to take all kinds of abuse.
Horas somehow managed to pin these giants down for now and he waddled out of the cave entrance.
But just as he was about to head out, he saw it - a giant bird-like thing flying right over his head. The intense pressure it let out was enough to cause Horas¡¯s brain to spin.
¡®Shit, it¡¯s the dungeon boss. I had to run into this thing right here and now.¡¯
Horas had no choice but to face the boss now. He had been spotted already and the bird was blocking his way.
Its beady eyes were looking at Horas in interest and he tensed up. He needed to make every shot count.
[[[Warning: Mana depletion levels reached. Kindly rest to replenish Mana.]]]
The system, being not as helpful things it was, decided to remind Horas of his reality. He only had about 10 points left out of 100.
¡®I had two bullets left to fire before I run out of mana, I need to make both of them count right here and now.¡¯
Horas shot his first shot carefully, aiming to catch the big bird unaware.
But things did not turn out as Horas hoped and the stupid chicken managed to step out of the bullet¡¯s way.
Beady eyes did not look away from Horas¡¯s body and he could not see an opening to attack. He was being pushed to y defensive.
¡°Look out. Here Ie.¡±
Just when all hope seemed to be lost, Horas heard Nesh¡¯s voice and his body rxed the barest amount. His muscles lost their tension and Horas swayed on his feet.
His backup had finally arrived and there was no need to worry anymore.
Or, that was what Horas expected to happen. But the reality was often disappointing and different than what we believed it to be.
Horas was knocked down by a huge body and the bird stepped on his back. Nesh stopped her attack as well, afraid to hit him identally.
¡°Nesh, hurry up and help out. Don¡¯t hesitate for my sake and-¡±
The huge bird monster did not step away. It let out a shrilled cry and picked Horas up from the middle.
The sudden motion startled Horas and Nesh was taken aback as well.
¡°H-Hey, what is that monster doing? Doesn¡¯t it look like it¡¯s kidnapping Team leader Horas?¡±
The yell came from Howard Spencer, who was still inside the dungeon for some reason. And he was the only one not frozen in shock at the moment.
Horas tried to get a small knife out and get himself out that way, but the bird was too tough. It did not react even when Horas dug his knife into its skin.
Or well, tried to dig a knife into his skin. (That tough chicken leg was too strong)
¡°Track me down using the navigation device. I will keep mine on for the rescue team.¡±
Horas yelled, his field training kicking in and making decisions for him. He was also getting over his shock and realizing his current situation.
Now that he realized where he was, he also realized that his situation was rare but not unheard of.
Sometimes, dungeon monsters and bosses showed weird behavior that included kidnapping humans and other creatures they came across.
But they also tend to lose interest pretty soon after that.
All Horas needed to do for now was wait for that to happen and then make his escape. He was sure that it would not take long for the monster to lose interest in him.
The big bird flew over some tall skyscrapers before handing into an open terrace. The overgrown forest on the building top made it look ready to fall any second now.
But there was something weird about this ce and Horas got a feeling that there was more than met the eye here. Especially when hepared it to the other buildings.
This building looked far too stable for something this run down. It should have copsed a long time ago.
The big bird let out a cry, almost as if it was calling for someone. But there was no sign of other monsters in the vicinity and no one answered.
Horas was dropped down from the bird¡¯s ws and his shirt was picked up by the back in a beak. The happy bird hopped inside the building, leaning down to fit in the human-leveled door.
Weirdly enough, even the inside of the building looked luxurious and Horas was deposited into a warm and soft nest. He almost wanted to call it a ¡®bed¡¯ at that point but refrained from doing so.
And then the bird boss decided to make itselffortable in front of it''s nest.
Chapter 48 Ch 46: Taken By A Bird [Pt2]
?The big bird behind Horas nudged him into the huge nest and Horas felt like he had toply. The big beak was too close to his neck and back for him to feelfortable.
¡°I am going in you the big, dumb bird. There is no need for you to force me to go in.¡±
The bird boss gave an offended cry but did not make any other attempts on Horas¡¯s life. It was far too docile right now. It was not making sense as a boss monster.
¡®Is this boss tamed? It¡¯s tip-toeing around me like it does not want to hurt me.¡¯
Horas could not help but feel like this bird had protected him all the flight here. Its grip had been gentle and its flightfortable. Even now, the big bird just leaned on Horas¡¯s side, not attempting to harm him.
He looked at his surroundings to find a clue to where he was. But there was nothing that could clue him on his current location. He was trapped in afortable yet empty room.
¡®At least my tracking device is still working. I can see my location on it.¡¯
Horas had to wait for the backup but it was the only thing he could do until the boss decided it wanted to go out.
Which did not take as long as Horas expected it to take. The big bird might be interested in Horas but it did not stick around him for long as well.
Once the big stupid bird was gone, Horas finally decided to start exploring the building. And he started with the corridor he had seen before.
¡°It¡¯s so weird how this ce still has running electricity and other resources. Dungeons usually do not have such advanced tech or even running devices.¡±
Well, there were some technically advanced dungeons but their technology looked foreign. But this one looked simr to human technology of the current period.
Horas finally managed to find the staircase to head down. He did not want to risk taking a life in case it stopped working in the middle of his escape. And that was if that lift was even running in the first ce.
The staircase was old but somehow looked maintained as well. There were no falling parts in its structure which made Horas even more hesitant to head down the stairs. His instincts warned him that he was headed toward trouble.
¡®Why am I getting so paranoid for no reason? I just need to reach the ground floor.¡¯
Horas started walking down the stairs and he noticed the first irregrity once hepleted one flight of stairs.
There was no exit door for Horas to enter the current floor. All he could do was to go down more in hopes of finding a door.
But despite how much he walked down, he could not find the door he was looking for. And the staircase was getting hotter by the second as well.
Maybe it was just Horas, but breathing was getting more and more difficult by the second.
¡®This ce is fucking with me. There should be a door here somewhere that allows me to get out of here.¡¯
Horas ran past another flight of stairs but he did not find any door even there. And he had reached the end of the flight already.
¡®Is there nothing I can do? How much mana have I recovered by now?¡¯
Horas looked at the bright red 10/100 on his mana meter and sighed. This would be only enough for one big shot and then he will be useless again.
His limitations caused Horas enough trouble and he needed to look for more skills. His only hope was that the start of this story would boost his skills by a lot.
¡®Well, there goes the small amount of mana I managed to recover.¡¯
Horas pushed all of it into a condensed bullet and shot it from his gun. It blew away the wall in front of him and led him into a dark corridor.
It only then did Horas realize that he was not on the ground floor but on the basement floor of the building. He had messed up big times by not checking where he was.
¡°Well, only one way for me to go and see how I can salvage this situation. There better be another way out of here.¡±
Horas cursed his circumstances as he started walking toward the only way he could see. The dark corridor finally started to lighten up but it was still not bright enough to look at everything properly.
Horas ended up reaching ab-like space with various specimens of exotic species kept in the bottle for examination. And it was a well-kept and freshb at that which made the situationplicated.
¡®Didn¡¯t the dungeon association say that this was a newly formed dungeon just discovered recently? Why is there such an advancedb here? Don¡¯t tell that it belongs to a demon?¡¯
That impossible thought crossed Horas¡¯s mind but he quickly shook his head to get it out. He was thinking of things that were beyond possible.
Demons might be an advanced race but only the high-ranking members of the demon race possessed human-level intelligence.
No such person would be able to set foot in this dungeon without breaking it down. Horas was thinking this all through when he heard the sound of footsteps heading his way.
It confirmed his suspicion and he immediately ducked beneath the nearest desk he could find.
His position did not allow Horas to see the person in front of him but it did allow him to see the shadow of that figure. And the shadow looked more than human to his eyes.
¡°-State of experiments? It¡¯s going splendid so I am sure mistress would be pleased with my effort.¡±
The person who walked over had a smooth human tone. The more Horas heard it, the more he was thrown in for a loop.
Usually, even when Monsters were capable of human speech, they had some inhuman qualities in the way they spoke. But this person was different. His tone was clear and apt.
¡®Can it be a human and not a demon? But no human was allowed entry down here, right?¡¯
Horas could not help but grow more and more suspicious of what was happening. How had a human managed to walk into this dungeon and remain sane?
¡°-I did release the giants but that made the dungeon unstable. I had to trap them using the power my mistress lent me. It was such a waste of resources and-¡±
The person walked further, cutting his words off for Horas not to be able to hear anything for a while.
¡®Darn it. I wish I had a special skill that allowed me to hear better at times.¡¯
Horas tried to move but froze as soon as he made some noise. He immediately got back to his ce, his heart beating painfully inside his chest.
¡®Fuck, did I get caught?¡¯
Horwas waited beneath the desk with patience but the man did not head toward him. It seemed like he was safe.
For now.
¡°-I will call youter. This dungeon is getting unstable and my pet managed to snag itself an annoyance so I¡¯ll need to go and see what this fuss is about. I am so busy to y with him right now.-¡±
The possible human walked away again and Horas finally found himselfing out of his hiding ce.
He finally got his first look at the possible-human helper of the demon and was startled.
It would have been much less surprising to see a low-level demon or even a possessed person in front of him. But his opponent looked to be in his senses and aware of what was happening.
More than that, Horas could not see any signs of possession on this person. He was too lucid to be controlled and he was too aware to be under any foreign influence.
A human was helping out the demons on his own ord and it was getting dangerous out here. Horas needed to tell the association so that appropriate actions could be taken in return for this.
¡®Shit, this is bad, I need to tell all this to the dungeon association and get the dungeons checked. But before that, I need to find a way to get out of here.¡±
Horas wanted to live but he was sure he would not be able to get out of there alive if he was found out. He needed to find the door out of here.
¡°-too much noise. Let me check why the rm went off. Ah, I see. It seems like my dear pet bird lost its new shiny toy¡¡.Worried? Why should I be worried? No information can be transmitted out of this tower and there is no way out. I will find him soon.¡±
Horas tried not to make any sound of disappointment as soon as he heard those words. Now he needed to get out of here or he was fucked big times.
"-I need to go now or my pet would destroy everything. Sometimes, it doesn''t feel like it''s worth it t keep such a dangerous pet. So maybe I will get it killed by the adventurers."
Chapter 49 Ch 47: No Hope Left [Pt1]
?Horas was aware that he needed to keep himself hidden well. The sound of footsteps leaving the room reached his ear and he finally rxed.
Once he was sure he was alone, he dared to leave his hiding spot and enter the open room. It was time to look at theb again and see what he could make of it. And just as he had noticed before, theb still looked freaky.
There were a lot of hand-operated machines instead of the recently invested ¡®skill-based¡¯ devices which indicated that the researcher was not inclined toward this field.
There were a lot of samples that looked freshly killed. The giants and slimes looked especially well-preserved and their different parts werebeled. The state of some of the bodies made Horas almost lose his lunch.
¡®I never want to see the insides of a giant again if I can help it. I should look for a way out.¡¯
Horas had a vague idea of where the scientist was headed so he went in that direction as well. It led him into another dark corridor but he kept on walking.
Once walking got a little difficult, Horas became aware that he was climbing up a ramp of some kind and he felt hopeful.
A ramp going upwards meant that he was going up to the surface. And once he reached the end, it opened up into another flight of stairs with no door to open.
Horas began climbing up again, hoping to find a window or door to get out of there. He finally found one at the top but he was not so optimistic about his escape chances.
As expected, he ended up pretty high up in the same building. And he finally decided to look for a terrace instead of a staircase to get out of. If anything, he needed to know how many floors this building had so that he could st a hole on the right level.
The terrace was found easily enough but opening the door proved to be a mistake.
As soon as Horas had reached the end of the terrace and looked down, he was picked up from the back of his shirt and felt a familiar feathery touch on his neck.
He turned around, only to see the bird boss standing behind him. And the huge bird looked as pissed as a bird could hope to look.
*cluck*
The bird let out a cry, almost dropping Horas in the process. His heart skipped a beat as Horas felt his body escape the hold of that beak but he was caught the very next second.
The bird flew into the sky again,nding on the same balcony it hadnded on the first time, and leading Horas inside its nest. It deposited the human into his nest, pushing its fluffy body on top.
Only Horas¡¯s mouth was left in the open while the rest of his body disappeared beneath the gigantic bird.
¡°You stupid bird. Let me go right now.¡±
Horas tried to insult the boss but he was ignored by it. The bird was busy cleaning its feathers and making happy noises.
Horas was so worried about what would happen to him now that he did not hear the sound of the door opening and closing. He did not notice that someone else was in the room with him until he saw the face right in front of him.
¡°Well, hello there. I see that my pet managed to snag itself someone famous.¡±
The brown-haired man looked amused and Horas immediately recognized him as the scientist whom he had seen in theb below.
Now that he looked closely, this man was unremarkable. Even his aura felt weak and lifeless, noting up beyond an F-ss one and he did not seem to be hiding his strength as well.
Then, did this man have some kind of special skill that allowed him to roam this dungeon freely? Theck of fear was evident in this man.
¡°I know what you are thinking. But no, I don¡¯t have some kind of special skill that allows me to control these beasts. I am just an incredibly unlucky guy is all.¡±
The brown-haired man smiled almost sadly, trying to invoke pity in Horas but it seemed not to be working.
¡®Tsk¡¯
The man stopped trying as soon as he noticed that Horas was not going to bite the bone he had thrown. And suddenly, the man looked far more intimidating than before.
¡°Look, I don¡¯t know why my pet decided to kidnap you but I cannot stand it, alright? Because of you, my hideout is about to be discovered by the dungeon association and we cannot have that. So you will have to die right now to protect my secret.¡±
Horas was not about to go down without a fight but he could not move or use his skills from his current position. He was kind of stuck where he was.
¡°I don¡¯t suppose that you would let me go if I asked nicely, right?¡±
Horas questioned as he pinched the huge bird''s body on top of him. The bird did not budge even a bit when Horas did that which was infuriating to him.
¡°No, I suppose you would not let me go even if I asked. But can I ask for your name at least? Don¡¯t I deserve to know the name of the one who is going to kill me?¡±
Horas questioned as soon as he noticed that there was no way out. He needed to stall this man with conversing about irrelevant things.
¡°Hmmm, you want to know my name? I don¡¯t think I want to tell you who I am. For all I know, you might find a way to get this information out even after your death.¡±
Horas had to admit that this mad was beyond caring. Most people would not have cared much for someone who was about to die and told their names to the dead person anyway.
But this man, he was different. He did not give any clues about his identity. And he even seemed to know who Horas was.
¡°Well, I never expected to cross paths with the grin reaper of the Esper¡¯s academy once I was out of there. Imagine my surprise to see you out here in this very dungeon. It is so nice to meet you again.¡±
The man spoke as if he knew Horas but his words about belonging to the Esper¡¯s academy did not help.
First, there were too many ¡®generic¡¯ people in that school. Most people did not stand out and a lot passed every year. It was impossible to tell when and where Horas had seen this man.
Second, this man seemed capable enough to hinder people easily. He had built a cage-like system that hindered Horas from sending any messages back to the dungeon association.
¡°Now, time for you to die.¡±
The brown-haired man smiled as he said those words. He took out a small injection from his pocket and approached Horas with it. But then, something miraculous happened.
The huge, dump bird who had taken Horas here decided to pick a bone with the scientist in front of itself. It raised its huge wings and blocked the scientist from approaching Horas.
Horas was surprised at the sudden bout of protectiveness the bird showed over him and he was not the only one surprised.
¡°Hey bird, what the hell are you doing? Let me kill that human so that we can remain safe. You need to heed my orders anyway.¡±
The brown-haired man tried to get the boss bird to step down but the boss bird did not back down.
It raised its chest even more, almost puffing it out in an intimidating manner, and stood in front of Horas. The bird was protecting him? Why and how did this end up happening?
¡°You shitty bird. Are you going to continue causing me trouble? Do you no longer want to live?¡±
The brown-haired scientist asked, now finally getting fed up. It seemed almost as if he was reaching the end of his patience. But the huge boss refused to back down as well. It was a battle of wits at this point.
The boss bird was the first one to make an attack. With a yell, it jumped the scientist and Horas used this time to jump on his foot and run toward the terrace.
He might not be able to send a signal out but he could still do something - send the small camera he had saved in case of an emergency.
It escaped the confinements, then it could send a message out and get Horas some help. That was his only open in this desperate situation.
Thankfully, it seemed as if this n would work and Horas threw his camera out before he made it to the terrace. Then he sent another camera, but this one was shot down before it could take off.
¡®Thank god I sent out one already.¡¯
Behind Horas, the brown-haired guy as well as the boss bird had followed. He was not going to be able to escape this ce easily. But now, he had some semnce of hope left in his life. He would be saved by the people.
Chapter 50 48: No Hope Left [Pt2]
?The bird continued to defend Horas for the time being but that did not ensure his safety. He was still not allowed to go out into the terrace and had to wait for the bird to loosen its vignce.
Every time Horas tried to take a step, the bird boss ended up being in his way. He was stuck between two beings who wanted to see him suffer.
¡°Alright fine. You want me to keep your human alive, right? Then will you behave if I promise not to kill him?¡±
The brown-haired guy finally relented and the bird boss let out a thrilled sound. It picked up Horas by the back of his hoodie and started to move him inside again. The stupid bird might have just saved Horas¡¯s life.
He was deposited into the bed again and the bird was looking after him when the building rm sounded.
It startled the bird and the brown-haired boss who had not expected this to happen. They looked panicked before the boss pulled himself together and looked at Horas in horror.
¡°You! How did you do it? How did you manage to make the others alert about this ce?¡±
The brown-haired man looked bewildered by what just happened. There was a thrilled look in his eyes and Horas was suddenly reminded of a maniac.
¡°Looks like you had more tricks up your sleeve than I initially thought. How fascinating it is to meet someone like you. Show me how you did it-¡±
Even if Horas wanted to take a step back, there was nowhere for him to go back to. His back was already facing the wall and his side was covered by the bird boss at his side.
The rm was much louder than before now and the brown-haired man finally looked pissed off. Horas had a feeling that his chance was about toe now.
¡°Well, this is getting annoying right now. Oi, chicken, it¡¯s time for you to prove yourself useful right now and get rid of the intruders for me.¡±
The bird boss seemed not to want to leave Horas alone, but then the brown-haired man pulled out a small device from his pocket, causing the bird to flinch and fly off. It seemed like the brown-haired guy did have a way to control the bird boss.
¡°Ugh, so annoying. That bird is big and strong, but he¡¯s also a pain in the neck if it decided to be your enemy. How did you even get it to behave in front of you?¡±
The brown-haired man who had taken Horas hostage questioned. He did not look even a little bit nervous after holding Horas hostage. There was fear of getting mugged or hurt by Horas in this man.
¡°How did you control a monster like the bird boss? Are you even human?¡±
Horas could not help but question the humanity of this person. He did not have any mana but he was still controlling monsters. It must be because of some kind of device Horas had never heard of before.
¡°Hmm, you like it? It took me a long time to develop the technology needed to control the dungeon bosses. Of course, I also needed a lot of manpower and external help. Are you curious?¡±
The brown-haired man asked in a teasing voice. It seemed as if he had a lot of secrets and he was baiting Horas so hard with his teasing tone and hidden meanings. If possible, Horas would have liked to know more.
¡®But I need to survive first. I don¡¯t think I will live very long if I do not escape now.¡±
Horas knew how fast things could get ugly so he got ready to run away. As soon as he made his move, the brown-haired man realized it as well.
¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t. Don¡¯t you dare think you will be able to give me the slip?¡±
The brown-haired man yelled and blocked Horas¡¯s step. But what he did not take into ount was that Horas had recovered his mana by now.
10/100 - that was how much mana Horas had right now. And he raised his gun with confidence.
¡°It was fun knowing you. Sorry, but you¡¯ll have to go down now.¡±
The brown-haired man looked startled as soon as Horas raised his gun. He tried to step back but Horas fired his gun. It was quite a low amount of energy, almost negligible at this point.
It caused the bullet to prate right through the brown-haired man¡¯s shoulder, making him immobile.
Horas started running away as soon as he noticed an opening. Horas had been looking for. He ran for his freedom, followed behind by a bleeding human.
¡°W-Wait a minute. I will not allow you to run away. My f-future will not be lost-¡±
Horas did not care how interesting the brown-haired guy was right now. It was important for him to live first.
He finally escaped into the terrace since it was the only ce that connected with the outside. That ce had the best chances for Horas to escape.
The sound of the sighting reached his ears as soon as he exited the building. He looked down to see the retrieval team fighting with the bird boss. But there were two very familiar figures mixed in as well.
¡®Nesh is here¡..and Howard as well. What were the dungeon operatives thinking letting a rookie in here?¡¯
Horas could not help but marvel at the stupidity of the dungeon association. They had really let a rookie gamble his life by fighting with the boss.
It had to be because Howard was the protagonist and he needed certain events to strengthen himself up. This had been an important battle in the original novel.
¡°You little- I will show you why you should not have messed with me.¡±
There was something weird with the brown-haired man who followed after Horas. He was still bleeding heavily but his wound had a ck substance oozing out of it which did not look like blood.
The identity of that ck liquid struck Horas all of a sudden and he went stiff.
¡°Demon blood? Did you inject yourself with the demon blood? Are you an idiot?¡±
Horas could not help but yell those words out. A taboo had been broken in front of him and it left him speechless. He should not have been as surprised since this was a world of fiction and taboos were made to be broken here.
But Horas lived in this world right now and it was his first time facing such a thing.
¡°Ha¡haha¡.hahahaha you think that me injecting myself with demon blood is something that great? You have not seen anything in your life right now then. You don¡¯t know the true nature of our powers and this world.¡±
It was surprising for Horas to hear these words.
As the creator of this world, Horas was the one person who had the most knowledge about this world. But this person in front of Horas was calling him ignorant. There could be no bigger insult to Horas than this.
But the weird thing was, Horas could not refute these words. He had realized early on that he did not know everything about this world. So he wanted to know what this bronw0haired man knew.
¡®Will it help me go back home? Should I take this risk?¡¯
That was right. Horas had not given up his hope to back home even now. He still wanted to go back home and forget this world as a bad nightmare he had.
¡°Are you interested to know more? Here, take my hand and I will tell you all about this world and what you need to know about it.¡±
Horas had to admit that he was tempted to take that offer. He wanted to know more about this world.
But the demon blood was putting him off right now. He did not want toe in contact with demons and attract their attention. It was calling for something bad to happen.
¡°Thanks for your offer but I¡¯m afraid that I cannot take it right now. You should try it next time we meet.¡±
With those words spoken, Horas threw himself from the top of the terrace. He knew he had been spotted by Nesh already and she had the means to save him.
¡°Nesh, you better catch me properly if you do not want to face my furyter on.¡±
Horas yelled even as he was falling. His body was about to hit the ground when it was caught in a web of strings. He had been saved by Nesh and her strings.
¡°Whew, I managed to catch you right on time, huh? But can you stop pulling such dangerous stunts all the time? You are shaving years off my life like this.¡±
Neshined as she gently let Horas down. He was unsteady when his feet touched the ground but Horas managed to ready himself finally.
As soon as he had steadied himself, a drop of ck acidic blood fell right where he had been standing and corroded the ground. But there was no signs of anyone standing on top of the terrace.
And then the bird boss noticed Horas and decided to make a move.
Chapter 51 49: Running Away From Fire [Pt1]
?Nesh had not expected any big incident to take ce during this outing. Special precautions had been taken to make this dungeon trip as smooth as possible.
Not only had the dungeon been scouted beforehand, but the association had also picked two experienced people to lead the group. There should have been nothing that could do wrong.
But it did not take long for the dungeon to prove Nesh¡¯s confidence wrong. It reminded Nesh that dungeons were unexpected ces you cannot ce your trust in. The candidate names Howard had somehow fallen into a trap and dragged Horas along with him.
That should not have been a big deal since such incidents often happened in a dungeon and were often taken into ount when nning a counter-strategy.
Nesh did not feel too worried about this news. But then Horas sent her a message about the giants and Nesh knew that things had changed.
This dungeon had been ssified as a D-ss one but giants were easily C-ss monsters. No one in this dungeon could handle them if they came across these giants.
Even Nesh would have a hard time since she will have to hold herself back and not let her powers escape their binding. Otherwise, this dungeon would copse.
¡®Ugh, so irritating. It¡¯s time to dere an emergency.¡¯
Nesh was aware that she would be made fun of because of this decision. It had to be a new record for emergency deration but she also trusted Horas¡¯s judgment.
The headquarters replied to her request in a hurry. Even they had not expected giants to appear in the dungeon and they were in shock as well. But Horas has sent physical proof with a small recording so they had to believe him.
No adventurer would y such a stupid trick when he could be caught at any time.
Nesh had started looking around soon after, following Horas¡¯s footsteps, and found Howard at the end of the road. He looked beaten up but his face glowed with power.
He also had the body of an unconscious giant beside him. It made Nesh suspicious about the real identity of this person but she chose to ignore her doubts for now.
¡°Hey, are you alright? I am so sorry that you had to go through all this. But where is Instructor Horas? Is he not here with you right now?¡±
Nesh could not sense Horas anywhere which made her worried. The younger tended to get in trouble too easily. Nesh was worried about him all the time.
¡°Instructor Horas? He stayed behind to let me escape and then I lost all connection with him. I don¡¯t know where he is right now.¡±
Howard sounded out of it when he spoke. Nesh was certain that this was a sign of awakening but she had never seen anyone awaken before.
¡®What should I do now? I need to take this kid out of here but I also want to look for Horas.¡¯
It would take some time for the backup to arrive and Nesh could not leave a participant alone. She looked up toward the sky, only to notice a giant bird caring a humanoid figure in its ws.
The location sensor told her that it was Horas. It was a shocking revtion for sure.
¡°Kid, get out of here. I will follow you once I secure Horas. You should tell our retrieval party to follow the giant bird up in the sky.¡±
Nesh instructed as she ran after the huge bird. She did not want to lose sight of it.
¡°Hey, wait for a second. I can help you out as well. I aming with you right now.¡±
Howard began to follow Nesh,pletely ignoring her orders. She wanted to turn back and scold him but she prioritized following the big bird over sending the kid back.
¡®Well, I will just protect the kid on my own for the time being.¡¯
Nesh followed as far as she could and then her system lost the signal.
¡®Oh shit, what happened?¡¯
The signal did note back until two or three hours after and it was all because of a small blob of ck recording the live feed of the area around Horas.
¡°Hey kid, I know where Horas is now. Follow me if you want to help out.¡±
There was no need for Howard to help her and there was no need for Nesh to drag Howard with her to this rescue mission.
But she decided to follow her instincts and let Howard follow her. She felt a sense of kinship with him and she wanted to let him help.
As soon as she arrived on the scene, she was met with a hoard of zombies. But luckily, the retrieval squad also arrived right on time.
The giants were being led by the same giant bird Nesh had seen before. She could only believe that it was this dungeon¡¯s boss since it had control over all the other monsters in its vicinity.
A small fight broke out between both groups which were soon broken by a loud yell.
¡°Nesh, you better catch me properly if you do not want to face my furyter on.¡±
Nesh looked up, only to see Horas jumping from the terrace of the tall building he had been taken to. His body was falling fast and would soon hit the ground.
Panic seized Nesh¡¯s mind and her body reacted on its own. Before she knew it, she had caught Horas in her web.
¡°Whew, I managed to catch you right on time, huh? But can you stop pulling such dangerous stunts all the time? You are shaving years off my life like this.¡±
Relief flooded Nesh¡¯s mind as her body rxed. She could not believe how recklessly Horas had behaved. Did he want to die that badly?
But before she could scold him more or Horas could react, the boss bird decided to interfere and snatch Horas away.
Or at least, the bird tried to snatch Horas away but Nesh¡¯s instincts kicked in and she ended up hitting the bird right before it could reach Horas.
The boss let out a startled cry, not expecting a human to interfere with its ns and it changed its target to Nesh, its beak came down and Nesh dodged the attack.
¡°Come at me, you big stupid bird. I will show you why you should be a cooked turkey.¡±
Nesh taunted as she dodged the attacks. Her defense was perfect but her attack was not as soon as it could have been. The bird was breaking through the wires Nesh was creating.
¡°Nesh, look out.¡±
Horas recognized Howard¡¯s voice and he could only look on in rm as Howard almost collided with Nesh. But they both avoided each other by a small margin which looked miraculous.
Things were getting out of hand since their side had to make sure they did not kill the boss. This dungeon was a precious resource they could not dissolve.
¡°Everyone, retreat. Hurry up and retreat right now. We cannot keep on facing the boss like this.¡±
The leader of the retrieval party yelled, suddenly realizing that everyone was ounted for. They had achieved their objective of finding Horas as well so this should be the end of everything.
There was no point in staying in this dungeon any longer. And everyone started to retreat,
The boss bird did not take kindly to Horas getting away from it. It let out a shrilled and angry yell before chasing after Horas.
¡°Shit. Horas, how did you manage to seduce a bird boss in such a short amount of time? Did you give it a kiss or something?¡±
Nesh questioned as she ran for her life. The boss was about to enter a berserk state which would increase its speed. It would be easily catch up to their party in such a state.
¡°Would you believe me if I said that the bird was crushing on me ever since it met me? I was swept up in its ws before I knew it and I have no idea why that happened.¡±
Horas replied in tired puffs of breath. All this while, the bird continued to close in on them. Its feathers were beginning to turn white due to the heat and it would soon erupt into mes.
"Keep on running and don''t look back. The boss would soon explode, taking everything around him up in mes."
The leader of the retrieval party yelled out, her eyes moving to look back onest time. She was someone who had the most experience with such situations so she recognized the signs.
Horas was running right at the end of the ground so he would be the first person to be caught in the explosion. He could not help but curse his own luck in this situation.
"Horas, keep on running. We are almost back at the gate. We are finally free."
Horas gulped and used thest of his strength to exit that door. It was forcefully closed behind him and he was saved seconds before the explosion would have hit him.
Finally, there were all safe now and there would be no more problems.
*Cluck*
A loud yell prated the human side of the dungeon before a break tore down the door between them.
Chapter 52 50: Running Away From Fire [Pt2]
?Despite everyone¡¯s efforts to stop the dungeon boss, it followed them to the gate. Its enormous break caused the temporary door to call down and the monster tried to break free ande to the other side.
¡°Shit. what kind of monster is this? How is it able to break our barriers so easily? Was this not a D-rank dungeon?¡±
Questions simr to what Nesh asked were rising around the room. No one had any idea how the barrier had managed to break apart so easily but they did know that the boss could not be allowed entry into their world.
¡°Hey leader, what should we do now? Should we take our inhibitors off and fight the boss for real?¡±
The rescue team asked as they got ready to attack.
The main problem they had regarding their inhibitors was that it would take time to take them off. That precious time was something they did not have the luxury of right now/
They will have to take turns distracting the bird until some of them had finished changing their inhibitors.
The boss bird finally broke thest of the barrier and came into the real world. Everyone was shocked at the boss¡¯s determination. Behind it, the entrance to the dungeon disappeared.
¡°Shit, what do we do now? How can we send the boss bird back to its ce?¡±
Nesh questioned this as she watched the bird shake its feathers. And then it caught the sigh of Horas and came after him.
Its beady ck eyes were looking at Horas like he was the one thing keeping the bird here.
¡°Hey, I don¡¯t care what you all decide to do, but hurry up, please. I don¡¯t like the way that bird is looking at me.¡±
Horas yelled as the big birde after him. It knocked all the adventurers out of their way to reach him. Horas needed to start running if he wanted live.
But no matter where he ran, he could not get away from the huge bird.
¡°Everyone, forget what happened. Hurry up and kill the boss. The dungeon has already disappeared anyway.¡±
The leader of the rescue party made a quick decision based on what was happening. There was an innocent life on the line here.
With that decision made, those who were able to remove their inhibitor quickly started to remove them,
Meanwhile, Horas still had a hard time running away from the huge bird. It was able to find him quickly and was about to grab him when someone attacked its beak.
¡°You! Leave him alone.¡±
It was Howard who came to Horas¡¯s rescue. Horas did not doubt that it was his protagonist''s charms that allowed him not to get hurt by that attack.
He was currently using the strength he had found in the dungeon to fight this boss. That was the original use of his strength skill anyway.
The boss stumbled when it was hit by Howard but it soon recovered. Horas used this opportunity to use his gun and attack the boss.
The boss looked offended but not angry. It was as if he could not get angry with Horas no matter what he did. But there was no way for him to know why this was happening.
¡®Ugh, I need answers that I cannot have. I wonder why the bird defended me from that scientist back in the dungeon as well.¡¯
It was something worth thinking about. This had never happened before as far as Horas was aware. And it was not something that was part of the main story as well.
¡°Alright, we are ready to start. Everyone, take your position so that we can begin attacking.¡±
The boss bird had been distracted for long enough to allow some people to remove their inhibitors. And it was time to y the big bird.
A huge circle appeared right above the bird boss and he and it sizzled with magic. Horas was just outside the safe range but still near enough to be caught in the aftermath. But Howard was not as lucky.
The younger was going to get caught in this explosion.
¡°Hey, just what do you think you are doing right now? There is an innocent person caught up in your attack. You might seriously injure him if you are not careful.¡±
Neshined as she watched Howard being caught up in the attack. He would be toasted if he did not act carefully.
Horas felt himself react on instincts. He knew he needed to save himself but he could not bring himself to abandon Howard in such a situation.
There was so much he needed Horas to do for him but not enough time to experiment. The protagonist was one person Horas knew he could count on so he did not want Howard to get hurt.
Horas¡¯s hand sped around Howard¡¯s and Howard looked surprised before he was pulled back. But even Horas knew they were not going to make it back alive this time.
¡®Shit, this is bad. I need to shield the protagonist until he finds the key.¡¯
The lightning spell activated and Horas closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact.
But it never came his way.
Horas looked up to see the giant bird shielding them from the lightning impact. The bird had remained loyal to him until the very end,
¡®What the hell! Why would something like this happen? Why would a dungeon boss save us? Is it because Howard is the protagonist?¡¯
The bird¡¯s big body fell, dying instantly. Horas could not believe that something like this had happened.
And he was not the only one shocked. Everyone else had their jaws hanging as well as they noticed this oddity in front of their eyes. Never had they seen a dungeon monster behave in this manner before.
The monster faded away, leaving behind a small but shining egg. No one knew that the dungeon monsters were capable but this was a new thing for them as well.
¡°Let¡¯s go and report what happened to the headquarter. This is the first time anyone has seen such weird behavior from a dungeon monster. We also need to decide what to do with this egg as well.¡±
The leader of the rescue party seemed to be in a bind. But it was given with the pressure she was being made to face.
Such a big incident was not something that she could handle alone and no one expected her to know what to do in this situation.
A member of the rescue team tried to touch the egg but his hand burned as soon as it touched the egg. A simr thing happened to other people as well.
The only ones not affected by this were Horas and Howard. It was obvious why Howard was unaffected but Horas had no idea why he was excluded from the burning effect as well.
¡°Looks like we have no other choice but to let one of you two keep this egg for now. None of us can touch it anyway so it works out.¡±
The leader sounded bitter about her inability to touch the egg. She seemed to want to touch the egg but held herself back.
Horas was impressed at her restraint but he did not say anything. He simply picked up the egg and pocketed it.
¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I would like to keep this egg. There is something I need to verify and I am also a safe choice for this egg¡¯s safety. You don¡¯t have a problem with this, right Howard?¡±
It was true. Esper¡¯s academy was a safe choice with its excellent staff and Principal Marble¡¯s presence.
Besides, Howard could not take this egg since he legally did not exist. His persona was a well-crafted shell that Jack Hollow hade up with so he could not risk taking the egg.
¡°A-Ah, sure. You can have this egg if you want to. I don¡¯t feel like I am a good fit with animals in general.¡±
Howard sounded awkward when he brought this up. And it was also then that Horas remembered he had given his protagonist a phobia of most animals. It had been a detail he had not utilized much and had also forgotten.
In the end, the raid was called to an end and this incident was burrowed beneath other topics. Only a few people got to know what happened.
¡®And also, Reed Whinstone did not show up until the end. The original event has been altered already.¡¯
Horas felt a fear spike in his heart as he remembered that huge plot point missing but it was still not toote.
¡°Howard, let me apany you to your home. Since you were someone who got caught up with me in a trap and went through a trail, I don¡¯t feel good leaving you be.¡±
Howard looked awkward, not wanting Horas toe with him. But Horas seemed not to want to take ¡®no¡¯ as an answer.
In the end, he agreed to take Horas with him. The journey passed in silence and Horas was thankful for it. That peace and silencested until they reached Howard¡¯s rented apartment.
And it was also then that Horas felt familiar eyes on him. It seemed as if the events had not changed from the original after all.
Chapter 53 51: Meeting From The Past [Pt1]
A tall figure in an all-ck hoodie walked toward Horas and Howard. Her mask hid her facial features but the way she walked was dangerous.
Even if Horas had not been trained to study bodynguage toe to an extent, he doubted that he would have missed the memo of this person being a highly trained killer.
"Are you the owner of this house? I was waiting for you for quite some time. Do you have a minute to talk with me?"
Horas tried not to stiffen up at the familiar voice speaking to him. Reed still sounded the same, even after 11 years of growing up and Horas recognized her in a sec. On the other hand, it did not seem like Reed had recognized him.
Currently, she was focused on Howard Spencer and looked him up and down. Her gaze waszy but filled with interest. Howard had not realized it, but he was being scouted by Reed right now.
''Looks like the original story did not change much. Instead of being in a dungeon, the scouting is taking ce in the middle of an apartmentplex.''
And that thought made Horas nervous.
There was a likely chance that a fight might break out if Reed did not get what she wanted. She was a viiness now and it was tough to tell how she would react.
"Sorry, but I''m not interested. You can sell your schemes to someone else who might pay attention."
Howard was blunt in his rejection as well. The stiffness in his shoulders told Horas that he recognized Reed as a viiness to some extent. And Howard had a deep-rooted hatred for the viins.
"Come on. Don''t be like that, Howard. My spy told me all about your bravery and how you fought the giants. And before you form any ideas, just know that I am not here to recruit you. I am just here to talk with you."
Reed tried again to press her agenda but Howard was not budging. This was getting nowhere and Horas knew he had to interfere right this second.
"Alright, both of you stop fighting. Miss, I don''t care who you are but kindly step away from my friend. I don''t think he feelsfortable with your presence."
Horas positioned himself between Howard and Reed, his gun pointed at Reed''s face but not firing. He took in the shocked expression that Reed had on her face and could not help but feel proud.
Recognition shed across Reed''s eyes as she noticed the gun and familiar-looking features Horas had. She instantly took a step back in shock, not having expected to see Horas again.
But as soon as the shock hade, it went away as well. Horas did not even get a chance to say ''Hello'' before Reed attacked. She threw a red battle toward Howard and Howard made the mistake of shing it with his sword.
The blood that was contained inside the bottle ended up sshing on his sword, corroding it instantly.
"What the hell? This sword is one of the best money could buy. Just what was the liquid in that bottle that corroded it?"
Howard questioned as he threw the sword away he did not want to risking in contact with that liquid.
At the same time, Horas decided to deploy the strategy of shooting first and asking questionster. He activated his skills of ''swift step'' and ''precision'' to shoot Reed but he had to be extra careful.
Horas needed to shoot Reed in such a way that did not make her bleed. Her blood was a powerful attack force for her. Howard did not know this decision to go in and attack Reed head-on.
"Howard, calm down. Don''t cut Reed or-"
But Horas was toote in his warning and Reed had a shallow cut on her face. Her sinister smile was evident on her face as Reed quickly used her blood to capture Howard.
Howard looked surprised at the sudden attack and his reflexes failed him from evading this attack. Blooded shackles bound his hands and feet, causing Howard to look scared.
"Shit, this is the worst-case scenario," Horas whispered under his breath before he took in a deep breath and decided to plead with Reed.
"Reed, can we not talk about it? I am sure we can agree if we talk over our differences."
Reed looked almost offended at Horas''s suggestion and he suddenly felt foolish for even suggesting this.
There was no way Reed was going to listen to him in his current situation. Especially not when she held all the advantage. She even had a hostage.
"I owe you a debt, Horas Spencer but I am not someone who mixes personal and private lives. My current task is to bring Howard Spencer back to the guild and that is what I will be doing."
Reed did not seem to be willing to do him any favors but that was what Horas had expected from her. Her personality was too serious and work-oriented.
While they both were talking, Howard had shown his protagonist charms and managed to free himself from the binds. It was a miracle that he had not cut himself on the binds, thus adding to their strength.
"Hey, stand still you problematic child. I don''t want to risk hurting you in any way."
Reed''s attention instantly turned toward Howard but he was busy looking and observing her as well. Howard looked nervous, recognizing the name ''Reed'' from the reports he had read.
"Are you a viiness? What are you doing here and what do you want from me?"
Howard was instantly on alert, stepping away from Reed and more toward Horas''s side. The way he was looking at Reed was simr to how other people looked at criminals.
"Calm down kid. I am not here to threaten you or to harm you. I just wanted to talk to you about something. But I can see that I am not wee here. Hmmm, what should I do now?"
Reed looked a lot more rxed and grounded than her previous self. Horas was happy for her but he also found her presence to be a hindrance to his ns.
"How about you go back home for today Reed? Surely there is no need for you to push Howard this hard."
Horas tried to reason with the viiness but Reed only smiled ambiguously before a few more bottles broke around her.
Red surged around her and Reed looked like a demon surrounded by all the blood. Even the smile on her face was unholy and reminded Horas of a blood-hungry vampire.
"Sorry, but I am here on a job. Howard wille with me one way or the other."
Reed''s words were followed by a ssh of blood. Horas could hear footsteps heading his way. People wereing to this hallway soon.
"Howard, run and ring the emergency rm. We need to empty this building right now."
Horas quickly blocked the blood with a wide-ranged shot. It used up a significant amount of mana he had managed to recover but Reed did not even look phased.
Horas knew it would not be possible to take her on with ranged skills. Especially when her blood maniption made things ten times harder for Horas.
"You want me to leave you alone with her? But the match-up-"
"Will be alright. This is not my first time so hurry up and go."
Horas flinched but understood what he had to do. Surprisingly, Reed allowed Howard to run away as well. Her attempt to follow him was half-hearted at best.
Horas was on alert against Reed but she seemed disinterested to fight him.
"Are you getting sentimental Reed Whinstone? I did not take you as someone who would let emotions get in the way of her mission."
Or at least, that was how Horas had written Reed to be. Who knew what her character was now and how it had changed in the years that had gone by?
"Hmm, you are right. I am not someone who likes to be passive when her pray is in front of her. So why don''t we make it quick Horas? Your toy guns would not be able to harm me."
Reed closed in on Horas as she spoke. She was reducing his range to shoot properly and Horas was ready for her.
Unseen to Reed, Horas had taken out a small knifeced with immobilizing liquid and he retaliate when Reed was in his vicinity.
He was barely able to cut on her but that much was enough as well. Soon the numbing agent would cruciate through her body and-
"Cute try but I''m a blood maniptor. Small tricks like blood-numbing agents will not work on me. You should know this better than anyone else."
Reed taunted as she stood back on her feet. Blood gushed out of the wound Horas had made on her neck and Reed seemed to be actively pushing out her blood from it.
At this rate, Reed would end up emptying her body of the numbing agent Horas had gotten on her.
But Horas had a satisfied expression on his face as he watched Reed push the agent out of her wound.
Chapter 54 52: Meeting From The Past [Pt2]
Even though Horas''s n had failed, he was not worried about Reed. He was not foolish enough to use regr inhibitors on her since she was a blood maniptor.
Horas had used something far superior to a drug, he had used the liquified ability on Reed. It was a special liquid he and Mark had discovered that could extract others'' abilities and utilize themter.
It was this small invention that allowed Horas to be confident that he would be able to take on Reed this time.
Reed looked annoyed and she extended her hand. Blood followed hermand, bending around the corridor as Horas ran away from it. It was nearly impossible to outrun the bloody behind Horas but he had a n.
''I hope this is the right one.''
Horas took out a small vile from his system and broke it. The blood stopped following him, falling t on the ground once again.
The ability capsule Horas had used would allow him total immunity from Reed''s abilities for a limited amount of time. And time was ticking away fast for him.
Reed noticed theck of abilities as well but that did not stop her froming after Horas. She was a good-handbatant as well and Horas did not want to take his chance with her.
He quickly took a detour, deciding to run down and start heading toward a space in the city. Reed was capable of mass destruction when she felt like it and the media had not quite about her usage of her powers.
"Shit kid. I was trying to avoid running into you as soon as I knew you were on this mission. I even changed the timing of my visit, only to have you appear in front of me."
Reed sounded annoyed as she came after Horas. He hoped that it was a signal that she did not want to kill him.
There was about one minute left before Reed would gain back her abilities. Horas needed to use it well. He also knew that the news about Reed would have spread all around by now.
They ended up in the side park with trees all around. It was the best ce for Horas to hide since he had a lot of covers avable. He was easily able to navigate his way around, trying to lose Reed''s chase.
"Horas,e out right now. You don''t want me to go after Howard, right? I might just go after him if you do note out right this second."
Reed warned him and Horas could not ignore her. Especially not after all he had gone to keep Reed away from Howard. It would be counterproductive for him.
Reed threatened to take a step back, showing that she was not bluffing and Horas instantly shot near her feet to halt her.
They were both fighting a battle of wits where the one who would remain calm would win.
''Tsk, so annoying. Reed knows my weakness well and she''s holding me by the nose.''
Horas had no other choice but to show himself in front of Reed now. Her threat was more urgent and even she knew it.
So Hors slowly came out of his hiding spot, his hand raised and his gun up in the air. He had lost this round but he had not lost the war yet.
"Are you still hoping that an adventurer woulde to your rescue? Humans are pathetic creatures by nature and most of them don''t have any want to protect other people."
Reed was speaking from personal experience. She had not lived a happy life and it showed in her attitude. But the kindness she had been shown by Horas surely made her softer all around.
She was not killing him outright.
Horas was paying attention to her, but he was also paying attention to the radar on his system. And despite Reed''s ims that no one woulde for him, he could see a lot of adventurers closing in.
"Reed, you are my friend so I want to give you a warning. It would be better for you to run away now if you do not want to be caught by the authorities. I can see theming for you."
Horas had known that the authorities would have no choice but to put pressure on the adventurers after a viin had been seen to hear the normal territory. The people in power did not want to lose
votes after all.
It took a second for things to sink into Reed''s mind but herugh was bitter when she realized why the authorities wereing.
"Those greedy people. Do they think they can catch me if theye after me? I don''t know why you told me about these authorities but I am thankful. I will make good use of this information."
Reed promised this before she used her blood to make a wall between herself and Horas. She was gone before Horas could ask her any more questions.
Reed had gotten much faster than before, she was able to escape the forest. There was ability-canceling smoke that was slowly creeping up the area and Horas was starting to feel dizzy.
"Hey kid, keep hanging on. I need to ask you questions before you fall asleep-"
Horas was out of it before the officer could finish speaking. The ability to cancel smoke had been too strong since it was made for a viiness. Horas was not able to handle it.
Thest thing he saw was the light-filled forest clearing he was standing in.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
Horas woke up back at the academy, in his bed. He had been sent back by the authorities.
This was the standard practice by the government for the most part and Horas understood why this practice existed. He was so happy to be back in his room as well.
"There truly no ce like home. I love thisfortable atmosphere."
Horas spoke softly to himself. He did not notice another presence in the room with him until the other person closed his book and stood up.
"If you like this room so much then you should stay in more often. I cannot believe you came back because you got caught in a viin''s attack. So, what did you do this time?"
Mark sounded impatient and not happy with Horas. It was a given since he was Horas''s guardian in all but name.
"Would you believe it if I said that it was not my fault this happened?"
Horas tried to plead his case but his words did not have a lot of weight. Mark looked unimpressed with him and even gave Horas an annoyed look.
"Somehow, I don''t believe your words. Even when it''s not directly your fault, these kinds of situations happen because of you"
Horas was not even surprised at this point. Mark knew him too well and he was also well aware of the fact that Horas was a trouble ma without even meaning to be one.
"I will be more careful next time Mark. But I do have some good news to share with you as well. Do you remember the small camera we were testing? It has proven to be workable."
Horas looked almost proud of himself and he knew that Mark would be proud of him as well. But Mark just looked pained at Horas''s words.
"Horas, just rest for now. We will take a look at those cameras of yourster when we have time to look at it. For now, why don''t you go back to sleep?"
Horas did not think much of what Mark said to him or how Mark acted. It was not like he did not know why Mark was behaving like this. He very well knew that Mark was worried about his mental health.
''Sorry Mark, but I need to act oblivious if I don''t want to attract your attention to other things I am hiding. I will tell you what is going on with me one day.''
But for now, Horas was going to rest. Tomorrow was ss day and Instructor Harris would not be letting him off easily. Instructor Harris had no concept of taking it easy, no matter what happened.
Horas was almost asleep when he remembered that he needed to check on Howard and what happened to him. Did Reed end up making contact with Howard again? How was the flow of the original story going?
''Darn it. If only my mind was not in a hyper situation, I could finally fall asleep. I just want a good night''s sleep.''
Chapter 55 53: The Club Meeting [Pt1]
Things returned to how they were for Horas after that run-in with Reed and things had calmed down somewhat.
And by that, Horas meant that there was no unnecessary bacsh or rumors that spread due to yesterday''s fighting. No civilian had gotten injured as well which was nice. It provided them with a much-needed buffer from the public bacsh.
Horas had gotten ready in a hurry once the day had started and apanied instructor Harris as he taught his ss. It was an interesting ss for sure but Horas was not able to pay attention to it.
He was not the only one distracted in the ss as well. Howard also had a distracted look on his face and could not focus on the ss. And unlike Horas, Howard was not lucky enough to escape Instructor Harris''s eyes.
"Howard Spencer, is the ss boring for you? If so, then would you like to solve this question on the board?"
Howard jolted as soon as he was called and walked over to the board. He looked at the question, only to realize he did not know how to solve it. He was at a loss for words.
"Howard, the answer is 1."
Emma, being her good friend, tried to help Howard out secretly. But her voice was loud enough to echo in the ssroom. She looked startled and blushed at her mistake but the harm had been done.
Instructor Harris''s face went red with anger as he looked at Emma.
"I see that *someone* is extremely eager to help out a dear friend. Then, why don''t youe up here and solve the next question, Emma Dew?"
The ss flinched as one when they noticed how angry Instructor Harris had gotten at Emma for helping Howard out. Emma was ready to cry when she got up and walked to the center of the call.
She looked at the question Instructor Harris had written on the board and gave up. She could not solve it even in her dreams. It was too advance for her brain toprehend.
"What''s wrong, Emma Dew? That should be easy for you, right?"
Instructor Harris''s words were sharp and biting. He was not holding back in his insults today and there had to be a reason for this to happen.
''I guess I should interfere now before Instructor Harris manages to harm someone mentally forever. Emma is already beginning to look a little ufortable.''
Horas got up from his seat and quickly made his way to the front of the ss. He also picked up the question book from the table and handed it to instructor Harris.
"Sir, we have not covered this topic yet. You should not ask students question they won''t be able to answer."
Horas whispered these words to Instructor Harris so that no one else could hear them. Instructor Harris looked startled and finally noticed what the question was.
"Alright ss, this is enough for today. Make sure you turn in your club application in two days or you will get a penalty."
There was still half an hour left for the ss but Instructor Harris looked done. Something huge seemed to have happened for him to be out of it.
The ss looked happy to see their instructor gone from the room. They cheered as soon as they were free of instructor Harris''s horrible mood.
Emma Dew looked at Horas with glitter-filled eyes. She seemed to be misunderstanding some things on her end but Horas was not kind enough to correct her thought process.
The sound of footsteps followed Horas into the hallway. He tried not to notice them but it was difficult to do when the footsteps were so loud. Someone was running after him,
"Horas, wait a minute, Horas. I need to ask you a question and it''s urgent."
Horas kept on walking, not stopping for even a single second. He knew that as soon as he stopped, he would be caught by Howard and Emma.
Horas was about to ignore them harder when some teachers turned from the corridor in front of him. He could no longer pretend like he did not hear the people behind him calling for him.
Horas''s sudden stop startled Howard and Emma but they came around fast enough.
"What is your business with me?"
Horas knew he was being rude. A good person who has heard Howard and Emma out but he was avoiding getting close to them.
Emma looked a little discouraged at the harsh words but Horas was determined to talk to him.
"H-Horas, what club do you rmend for me to join? Which one are you a part of? I want you to be my mentor."
Howard''s eyes were shining when he looked at Horas. The look of admiration sent shivers down Horas''s spine but he held his breath.
"I don''t think it is a good idea to follow me. There is a big gap between your skill set and my skill set. I think you should join the club that can help you."
Howard looked even more excited than before at being rejected. Emma tried to speak but Howard was not going to take ''no'' for an answer.
There was one irritating person Horas found hard to deal with. So when another one joined, he should have realized that he had lost.
"Hey, what is going on here? I heard something about joining a club. Are you deciding which club you are joining Howard Spencer? Tell me so that I can join the same one."
Regine walked over to the group with shining eyes. She was interested in Horas since he had ced first in the entrance exam with a perfect score.
And she was even more excited to see Horas, one of the most infamous people in the academy together. It was a thing worth getting involved with.
"Nothing is going on here. You all should pick what you are good at and join that club."
Horas quickly evaded this topic. He had a feeling that something would go wrong if he encouraged these kids to join him.
"Horas, don''t be like this. I admire you so much an-"
"A club with the infamous ''Grim reaper of the Esper''s academy as a mentor? It sounds good. I want to join in as well. Let me join in Howard Spencer."
Regine looked excited at the idea of joining the two most infamous people in the academy. She was trying to further her connections with important people.
And from her spying around, she knew that Howard Spencer had mad connections with higher-ups. So Regine was going to take advantage of him.
"I have told this to you once and I will tell this to you again, I am not a part of any club. Now go and join a club that actually suits you."
Horas lied with a straight face. He was, in fact, in a club as an advisor. Every teacher, be it a permanent position or a temporary one like Horas, was required to choose a club to lead.
Horas had picked the first club he saw but he never went to any meeting for those clubs.
"Hmm, but are you sure-"
"Yes, I am sure. You all should start heading toward your next ss. Instructor Harris let you off easily but your other teachers will likely not be as nice today."
This was Horas''s warning to these meddling children. They did not understand why Instructor Harris was in such a foul mood but Horas knew that if one instructor was in a bad mood, every instructor was in a bad mood.
He pitted these children who had to deal with such moody teachers today.
Horas was about to head to his regr scheduled ss when his system buzzed. Principal Marble was calling for him in her office. Her message sounded a little agitated which gave Horas a bad feeling.
That bad feeling only amplified once Horas stepped into her office. Principal Marble had a serious look on her face.
"Come and take a seat Horas. There is something I need you to do for me and it''s urgent. And before you make any excuses, I know your schedule and I know you are free for the next many days. You cannot get out of this schedule."
Horas opened his mouth and closed it. Principal Marble had shut his protest down even before Horas had made it.
His body obeyed Principal Marble''smand without him meaning to. She was just too powerful for him to go against.
She pushed a small envelope toward Horas and he carefully picked it up. He opened it up slowly and dreaded what it said.
''Shit, I knew this would happen when the protagonist talked about clubs and all. I would be called here no matter what, huh?''
And since principal Marbel had made such a decision, Horas knew that there was no point in trying to stop her from getting him involved. All he could do was swallow his words and prepare for the worst.
"I understand. This club orientation is the only thing I will have to attend this year in rtion to club activities, right? Then I will do as you asked of me."
Principal Marble looked satisfied with the reply she got and she was relieved as well. She had achieved her goal here
Chapter 56 54: The Club Meeting [Pt2]
The talk with principal Marble led to Horas regretting his life choices. He had not expected to evere to a club meeting once he had graduated from the academy and started aiding the staff.
In fact, as a tactical agreement to not make the kids feel intimidated by Keith, the charge had ruled out Keith''s attendance criterion and given him a clean slip.
But despite taking all these precautions, Keith found himself in the middle of a club once again and with various other kids present around him.
He looked around to see Howard waving back at him with a happy expression. Beside him sat Emma who had her face buried in between a thick book and she was not lo able to look at Horas''s face.
On the other side of the room sat Regin and Duke who had managed to form a somewhat fragile friendship with each other. But Horas also knew that it had the potential to develop into something more if the story followed the original plot.
"Everyone, wee to the exploration club. I hope you all have a good time here. Now, for starters, I will introduce you to our staff and senior members."
Horas remained quiet when he was introduced and many of the older kids looked startled to see him in the club. It was given why they were surprised.
After all, Horas had nevere to an orientation before.
"Alright everyone, I will not take more of your time. You are free to go and check out other clubs if you want to as well but remember - you can only choose one club in the end."
The club leader of the exploration club reminded everyone. It had been an impactful line in the original work that caused Emma to start doubting if following Howard was something she wanted to do.
It was also where she had her first major fight with Howard because of her club choice and its president.
"-submit your form to me and you will be an official member. That will be all."
The club leader stepped down, signaling that it was the end of this discussion from her side. Horas knew it was time for him to stand up and leave as well.
Of course, before he could leave, he was stopped by Howard. The younger tapped Horas''s back and held a piece of paper out for him to take.
"Here, is my application form to join your club."
Emma stood nervously behind Howard and she looked ufortable. Everyone was currently looking at them and judging them.
And of course, since Howard had stepped up to give his form, how could his self-proimed rival stand still? Duke took out his form and filled it in a hurry as well.
"Me too. I will be joining this club with and here is my form."
"A, you both beat me to it. But here, my form is as well. You will take then, won''t you Horas?"
Regina smiled with intent as she held her paper out as well. They were creating a scene in the middle of the ss, forcing Horas to interact with them.
"If you want to hand this application over to someone, do it to the club head. Why did youe here to hand me the application when you knew all this?"
Horas stepped back gracefully, dodging the paper slip Regina was thrusting toward him. Anyone could see that Horas was not thrilled to take these slips from the kids.
"Now, don''t be like that with us. You are a part of this club so you can take our applications and file them for us, right?"
Regina pressed Horas even more, knowing that the pressure would get to him eventually.
What they did not expect was for the club leader to descend on them like a haunted shadow, her ck sses reflecting the three applications in front of her.
"W-W-Wait a second. What is this? Some students vite regtions by handing their applications to someone not asked. Why, I ought to reject such applications-"
The exploration club leader finally noticed the gathering and her face wentx in shock. Howard and Duke were familiar faces. And Regina was famous as well but for different reasons.
The exploration club''s leader was no fool and she knew she could not let such big fish escape her ws.
"B-But since I am here already, I will do you all a favor and take your club applications for you. Hurry and give them to me."
Howard handed him with an annoyed face while the other two did not show any visible sign of feeling something. Only Emma held herself back, not handing her application over.
"And you? Are you not going to give me your application?"
The club leader asked Emma as an afterthought. She was not interested in someone non-famous but Emma seemed to be a packaged deal with Howard Spencer.
"I¡will think about your offer. I have a few more clubs in mind to visit before I make a decision."
Emma did not reject the offer but she did not ept it outright as well. She was more conflicted than anything once she heard the offer.
Howard looked confused at Emma''s hesitation as well but he did not press Emma into joining him in his club. He was a good protagonist who knew the worth of freedom.
Horas used this time to disappear from the room. He did not want Howard or anyone else to wake up and find him and ask him questions. So he quickly made his way out.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
Emma left the ss with a heavy heart. She had expected Howard to stop her but her oldest friend seemed too busy with his new friends.
Moreover, it seemed like Horas had managed to slip away as well. Emma truly felt alone as she walked out into the hallway.
Truthfully, she did not have any more clubs to check out. And even if she did, Emma doubted she would risk joining them alone. She was too dependent on Howard''spany.
She was lost in thought so Emma was surprised when she collided with someone. The person on the other end of her collides was a senior she vaguely remembered seeing when all the clubs were being introduced to her.
"I''m so sorry. Did not see you there so I was not able to walk out of your way in time."
Coming out of most people''s mouths, these words would have sounded as if they were making fun of you, but Emma felt like this and was sorry for bumping into her.
"N-No, it''s alright. I should be the one to apologize to you for bumping into you. It is not your fault this happened."
Emma quickly apologized back, not wanting to owe this man anything.
The senior looked friendly enough that Emma was able to drop her guard. He also seemed to be in quite a hurry as evidenced by the nervousness in his steps.
But the collision with Emma had caused all his neatly stacked papers to tumble down and scatter.
"Let me help you out. Where do you need to take these papers to?"
Emma picked up about half of the papers and stood up. Despite her having half of the papers, the pile in the senior''s arms was still huge. He must have super strength to be able to carry it all.
"N-No need for you to do that. I was just heading to my club. I am in charge of the fragrance research club and it seems like I amte to our club orientation."
Emma felt bad for the man. Most of the club orientations should have ended by now but this senior seemed oblivious to that face.
And became Emma felt bad for this senior, she decided to apany him to his destination.
"You know what? Let me join you as well in this orientation. I am still not decided on the club so I want to take a look at your club if it''s alright with you."
The senior beamed as soon as he heard Emma''s words. He had not expected anyone to take interest in his club, especially more so because of him. He was going to brag about it to all his friends.
The fragrance club was located at the end of the building to prevent the smell from spreading all around. It was a delightful ce if one knew where they were head to. Right outside the club room was an aroma garden.
The ce gave Emma a feeling of peace she had not expected before. She could not help but appreciate this ce even more than before.
This club was the one Emma wanted to join. It was calling to her and, beckoning her to be its member. She did not even notice that something was wrong with her senses.
"So, what do you think? Does this ce look like something you might want to spend your extra time in?"
Emma did not even have to think about it since the answer was yes for her. This ce felt like a home to her and Emma wanted to be here for a long time. The fragrance surrounding her was just too good.
''I love it here. I wish I can stay here forever.''
Chapter 57 55: The Club Meeting [Pt3]
The time Emma spent in the fragrance club was too short but her time spent there was worth it. She instantly ended up submitting her application to join this club and ended up heading back to her room.
The club member who had apanied Emma to the club had a harmless smile on his face but as soon as Emma was out of the door, that gentle smile turned sinister and he clutched the application tightly in his hand.
"Here, I want to immediately join this club. I like the atmosphere of this ce and the way I feel here. I hope to work more with you in the future. senior."
Emma handed her application over and went away with a happy smile on her face. She wanted to take Howard here and maybe he would agree to join her? The chances were not great but Emma still wanted to try and bring Howard over to this ce. That was her goal for now.
"Darn those privileged and sneaky brats. Do they think they can win me over with a gentle smile and warm words? Soon this girl will be a member of our cult as well."
The warm senior was just a facade this person had donned. His real identity was as a viin who had entered this academy to scout out potential future members for his side. And now he finally seemed to have found one.
It was not this girl, but her friend who often apanied her. His real target was Howard Spencer.
But it did not seem like Howard had apanied his friend this time. So that meant that the senior would have to keep entertaining this child until Yohan showed up.
It was such a hassle but the senior had a mission to aplish.
Outside the door, Horas watched this interaction y out just as it had in the original novel. He could have captured this man and ended this plot point before it even started but it would hinder Emma''s progress in the overall story.
''This plot was a precious development milestone for the main cast. Let''s not touch this point for now.''
Horas pushed himself away from the wall and walked away. His eyes met Lorris''s green eyes and Horas was startled at her sudden entry.
It seemed like she wanted to join this club but was not able to muster up enough courage to go in. Her shy personality was shining in her eyes right now.
''Wait, this did not happen in the original, right? As far as I remember, Lorris did not originally join this club, right? I need to make her join the animal club as she did in the original story.''
So, for this purpose, Horas decided to block Lorris''s way. He stood in front of her and she looked confused.
"Excuse me. I wanted to join the fragrance club?"
Lorris did not sound sure of herself. She had likely picked that club randomly because it was at the top of her list. There was no other reason Horas could think of for Lorris to be here.
"You should not join this club since it''s not made for you. I m-mean, you will not feelfortable in there."
Horas quickly caught himself before he said anything rude or hid the truth. Lorris looked surprised and she tried to look behind Horas but to no avail. She was not able to see anything.
"If you do want to join a club you will find entertaining, then go to the animal rearing club. I am sure you will enjoy that ce much more."
More like, Lorris would be able to reach her full potential once she gained the skills she required from that group. There was one senior in that club who became close to Lorris and gave up his skills for her.
In the end, that senior had died, and that had given Lorris a reason to train harder.
"A-Animal club? But I am afraid of animals?"
Lorris sounded unsure of herself and Horas understood why. Lorris had two personalities inside her who fought for dominance but they both had different to the point that even she did not know which one was which.
Horas felt sorry for Lorris but she needed to not join this club for the betterment of the future.
"That is right. You should not join this club."
Horas advised her and Lorris looked confused. She looked down and then decided to follow Horas''s lead.
"Alright. If you say that I should not join this club, then I will not join it. You asked me to join the animal club, right? I will go and join it now."
Lorris agreed far too easily. Had it been anyone else, Horas would have looked for what they were nning, but Lorris was not such a person.
She was blunt and straightforward, often innocent in this form. Tricking Lorris made Horas feel guilty but he had to do it for the betterment of this world.
"Hey, are you sure you don''t want to question me about my motives? Surely you are not going to follow my words blindly?"
Horas could not believe how innocent Lorris was and ended up asking her this question. Lorris looked startled at Horas''s question.
It seemed as if she had not even considered the possibility that Horas would harm her or lead her to the wrong path. She tilted her head in confusion and stared Horas right in the eyes. Her gaze unnerved Horas a lot.
"Are you going to do that to me? Are you tricking me? It doesn''t feel like you mean me any hard. You even encouraged me to pick a weapon I wanted. You are a good person in my eyes so I want to follow you."
Horas could not say anything after Lorris put his actions like this. Horas had helped her out before and Lorris had incredible instincts.
Seeing how Horas was dumbfounded by her logic, Lorris decided to head out for now. She gave Horas onest look before she was off to find a club she had been suggested by Horas.
He could only watch Lorris leave like this, not paying attention to where she was going. She was a dangerous person Horas would have to watch out for. Her instincts were sure something.
"Hey, who is out there? What are you-"
The senior who had tricked Emma opened the door with a vengeance, but he faltered as soon as he noticed Horas standing in front of the door. He seemed to not have expected Horas or anyone above his level toe to this side.
Since the senior had been sure that he was the only person on this side, he had dared to bring Emma here. But now it seemed like his ns had failed.
"You are a member of the fragrance club, right? What are you doing in this room? Wasn''t the fragrance orientation on themon hall today?"
Now that things hade to this, Horas could not pretend like he did not see anything. He needed to question this person a little to show that his trickery was being noted.
"I, that is to say, I just wanted toe out of our clubroom and be here today. Surely that is not illegal for me to do."
Horas narrowed his eyes and the senior squirmed in his ce. The teen was older than Horas by a few years but he was still his junior. It should be making this senior even more annoyed.
"It is not illegal for you to be here but it will be troublesome for you if I found out that you brought someone here before this ce had been aired out."
Horas could smell the incense used to weaken one''s mind and to make them rxed. It was not quite an illegal ingredient but it was not looked kindly upon by their society.
And yet, this senior had not only used this ingredient but he had done so on the academy grounds. There was much that could he hold against it.
"I don''t know what you are talking about. I am alone here and it is also true that I wanted toe here and enjoy this world. I did nothing wrong in my life, right?"
This senior was getting too emotional now and Horas decided not to pay him any more attention. It was entirely his fault that made people suspicious of this senior.
Horas was about to call him out on it when he stopped. There was no point in arguing with a criminal like this when he was not going tost long.
''Besides, this is not the only viin in this academy. If I act against this senior then it will make other viins think I am on to them somehow.''
It would throw the whole story into chaos if that were to happen. So Horas could not afford to do that for now. He had to make sure he was on his toes at all times.
"Fine, I will let you off the hook this time. But do not give me a reason to doubt you again or there will be a problem for you to solve."
This was a warning but Horas''s opponent was going to see it as an opportunity.
Chapter 58 56: A Trip Outside [Pt1]
Once again, Horas found himself in the club room he had managed to avoid for over a decade. He was not sure why he was even here today.
"Hello everyone. Thanks for responding on such short notice but we just got a message from the principal that we can go to our first outing as long as two teachers are supervising us. You all got the message, right?"
Everyone present held up their physical consent forms. Horas was sure that more than half of the signatures on these papers were fake.
"Good to see that all of you are so excited about this trip. Now, the ones who volunteered to overlook your trip this time as Instructor Harris and Horas. You all need to be mindful of then, alright?"
The club leader of the exploration club stressed these words and many seniors flinched as soon as they heard Horas''s name.
He might be younger than half of this club member''s current age but he had a far more bloody reputation due to some rumors about him. And those who had seen Horas in action were often left speechless as well.
"Oh god, it''s that reaper."
"I wonder if this trip would go alright? I heard that the grim reaper causes everything to fall apart. I guess we will finally get to know if the rumor is true or not."
People began to gossip all around the room as soon as they saw Horas standing in front of them. He did not mind the gossip since he was rather famous in the school circle.
He took a quick look around the room, wanting to see if there was anyone he recognized or not among the crowd but no one stood out.
Well, Howard and the other protagonist stood out but no one except them stood out to him. Most people avoided his gaze when he looked at them but Howard waved at him cheerfully.
"Wow, that''s Howard Spencer waving at you, right? Looks like you managed to make a friend after all."
Instructor Harris pointed out as she grinned and waved back at Howard. Horas ignored both of these idiots, not wanting to associate with them any more than he already had.
It was soon time for them to head out. The forms were collected from the students and they were hurdled into the boat that would take them to the ancient ind that was their destination.
"Now remember, just because this is a rtively safe ce does not mean you can do what you want to here. I want you all to be constantly vignt and to report back in case anything out of the ordinary happens."
The club prescient reminded everyone and the kids gave a boring ''yes'' before running around.
Since this ce was modeled behind an existing dungeon without any of the traps or wild monsters running around, everyone was having a good time. There was nothing for the students to be worried about.
Horas decided to shut his eyes for a minute and rest and that was his mistake.
In his hurry to rest, he forgot one very key point of this world - if things had the potential to go bad, then they would go bad. Especially if the protagonist was involved.
The ind they were on shook and the quaking caused many students to lose their bnce. It was an unnatural phenomenon so no one knew what to do about it.
"Everyone, start heading back right now. We need to get out of this ind as soon as possible."
Instructor Harris began to hurdle the kids back and Horas helped him out as well. He helped some students up before looking around for Howard and the other main characters. Knowing then, they would be at the center of this problem.
"Instructor, I will look around to make sure no one is left behind on this ind. You go and help these kids up."
Horas yelled as he began to run toward the other side of the ind. Instructor Harris had no time to do anything but agree with his world. He was busy enough with his one baggage to carry.
Horas quickly covered the rest of the distance and soon reached his destination.
As he had expected, the main party was stuck in a small hole, unable to go out. They had activated some kind of mechanism that was not supposed to be on this ind.
"Hey kids, are you alright? Can you get out of this hole?"
Horas asked this question despite knowing the answer. He just wanted to hear from these kids about what happened here.
"Are you blind? If we could get out of this hole, then would we be stuck in here at all? Now hurry up and pull us out of here. I have a lot of work to do today anyway."
Duke Verteramo yelled these words out in an angry tone. He had not wanted to join today''s exploration team but he had been forced to once he knew that his rivals would be joining.
This kid was a vtile person but he was also one of the protagonists so Horas tried to cut them some ck.
He threw a small stone where the hole was and it instantly evaporated into nothing.
"There is a weird mesh covering this hole. It must be some kind of ability so I will look around to see if I find anyone who is operating this."
If the energy of this ability was this strong, then the caster of this spell had to be nearby. Horas was sure he would be able to find the caster if he looked around a little more.
"Do whatever you want to do. Just get us out of here, alright? And don''t worry about us, you take your time and do not get hurt."
Howard yelled those words out. He yelled loudly over Duke''sints so that Horas did not have to hear Duke for some time.
Horas felt amused at Horas''s attempt to make him feel better. Howard was a good kid and Horas was d he had written him this way.
''Now, let''s find the rat that managed to sneak onto this ind without getting detected. I will need to capture him alive and hand him over to the interrogation unit.''
¡¡¡¡¡¡..
Soon, the sound of footsteps leaving reached the group''s ears and they sagged in their ces. The quieter Horas''s footsteps got, the more these people got nervous.
''Let''s just hope nothing happens to Horas. He is our only hope to get out of here.''
Howard was d that it was Horas who stayed behind for them. The elder was someone he found himself trusting right from the start.
Meanwhile, Regina hit Duke for what he did a while back. The sudden p on his back caused Duke to flinch and blush at the same time.
"What the hell, woman? Can you not be any more gentle than this? What did I ever do to make you angry at me?"
Duke asked back, not knowing what he did wrong. Since he was an heir to a big guild, he had never been scolded or told that something was wrong. That caused him to grow up with a twisted sense of what was right or wrong.
ording to his logic, Duke was always right and he expected everyone to know that as well.
"You are an idiot. You should be nice to someone who is here to save us. Why would you go and say all those words to Horas anyway? What if he decides he does not want to save us, huh? What then?"
Duke tried to rub his back but his hands were unable to reach his stinging back. All Duke could do was pout at Regina''s words.
"I don''t see what the big deal is. Someone will have toe for us sooner orter. Why does it matter if Iin a little to Horas or not? He deserves it for not saving us right away."
Regina sighed before pping Duke once again. She had no idea how her childhood friend had gotten to be this way. Duke used to be a sensible child once upon a time.
"Duke, you will get in trouble one of these days if you do not change your attitude. And as your childhood friend, I don''t want to see you go down that path of destruction. So when you meet Horas next time, you have to apologize to him, alright?"
Duke had a sullen look on his face that said that he did not want to follow Regina''s words. But Regina was not giving him a chance to continue his thought process. He was in the wrong and he needed to know this.
Howard watched the two people in front of him fight with an awkward expression on his face. He did not know what he could do to help these people feel better in this situation.
''Horas, please hurry up and free us. I don''t think I will be able to survive much longer in thispany.''
Howard was afraid that someone would die soon if they were not freed soon. And he did not want to see a murder take ce in front of very eyes.
Chapter 59 57: A Trip Outside [Pt2]
Horas looked down at the protagonists that were caught in the hole. He did not remember writing this or even a club trip this early.
But Horas also knew it could be an event that had likely happened in the book. He had not detailed everything that had happened before he had published so many events had been glossed over.
"Let''s see. There is no visible indicator of mana usage so the caster has to be without a 30-meter radius. I should startbing things out, right?"
Horas had a general idea of where to start looking for that trap''s source. There was an open field on the right and a dense ntation on the left.
The only ce to start looking for the intruder was to startbing the left clearing. But if people applied the logic of a novel.
"Yeah, let''s head right. I am sure our attacker has some kind of skill that would help him hide better."
By now, Horas had gotten plenty used to this ce. What seemed logical in a scenario might change depending on what kind of skills one had. And sometimes, trusting one''s gut turns out to be right in the end.
Horas walked toward the empty field and knocked on the ground. It seemed normal but there was a hint of energying from beneath Horas''s feet.
''So he is hiding in here. My scanner is picking up a skill being used here.''
This was another invention that was in its testing stages but it seemed to be working just fine. It was showing a reading of energy that Horas knew did not belong to any of his known people.
''Bingo. Looks like I found you.''
Horas charged his gun, finally having enough mana and bullets to break the earth. His bullet managed to graze the person hidden in the earth and Horas smiled a victorious smile.
"Are are sure you do not want toe out even now? I will spare your life if you show your face right now."
Horas bluffed, not expecting the viin to be foolish enough to fall for his tricks. And as he expected, the viin did not fall for it either. He was an intelligent person who kept himself hidden.
The viin tried to move underground, wanting to lose Horas but Horas was tracking his every move.
''I got lucky this time since I brought the mana-vision sses with me. These things are so handy.''
Horas shot at the ground and the small bumps of energy that traveled through it. One of his bullets finally hit the ground, causing the momentum of the viin to halt. He had toe up as the earth shook more and more around him.
''Darn it. It was supposed to be an easy job for me. How did it turn into such a mess that even I could not handle?''
The viin questioned inside his mind as he was faced with a gun barrel in his face. Looking down at him was the grim reaper of the academy, the one person no viin currently wanted to run into.
"I want to say that you did well but that would be a lie. Now, why don''t you tell your partner to stop so that I can catch both of you?"
Horas questioned as he pulled the desperate viin closer to his face. The viin looked at Horas with wide terrifying eyes but he did not betray hismand.
''I have tomend the sense of loyalty these viins have for each other. They go the extra mile to ensure their partner is not caught.''
Horas was genuine in his praise. He did think that being viins and running away from thew caused the other side to be closer. That was also why, despite having been harassed by the viins in the past, Reed warmed up to them in the end.
"Go to hell. I will never betray my partner, no matter what you say to me. I am not like you cowards, willing to sell yourrade out. We will all find the promisednd together."
Horas shook his head at the stubbornness of the person before him. It was honorable of the viin to try and stop Horas from going after his partner but it was of no use now.
As soon as he had caught this viin, Horas disabled his powers. That meant that the first-year kids were free to roam around now. And these kids were the best, the protagonists, so they will manage somehow.
The ground shook again, indicating that the captured viin was not the reason this ind was quaking. This time, there was some smokeing out from the center of the mountain as well.
"Shit, this is bad. Hey man, I know I am a viin and you have no reason to believe me, but please believe me when I say we need to leave this ind now. It is about to be home to an active volcano soon."
Horas turned to look at the viin with a vignt eye. But it seemed like the viin was genuine when he said those words.
The shade of white the viin had gone was especially revealing of his intentions and sincerity. The viin was not lying.
"Are you serious? How did this happen on the very first trip-? Of course, it did. Those troublemakers are here, so it was a possibility."
Horas muttered these words to himself, knowing fully well that anything was possible when the protagonists were involved.
"Oi, is your partner going after my kids? Hurry up and tell me or I will shoot your partner as soon as I spot him."
Horas shook the man in his grip and the viin went dizzy. He had never seen an adventurer behave like this. Most of them would have outright threatened him.
"Stop. Slow down a little. I don''t know where my partner is, alright. We did not tell each other our locations for safety reasons. I don''t know where my partner is, even if you ask me."
The viin was good and his worry seemed genuine. He cared about his partner''s safety.
Horas felt for the man but could also not allow a viin to run without an escort.
"Listen, I will uncuff you now but mark you with a taser. If you try anything funny, I will cut off your powers, alright?"
Horas warned the man who looked up at him with a grateful face. Horas quickly chipped the man and then let him go.
The viin likely thought that Horas was bluffing and he tried to use his powers. He was instantly pped by Horas as his powers went shut. It caused him to get stuck in the ground all of a sudden.
"No funny business, alright? Next time, I will not be half as nice as I am right now."
Horas warned the man who was held captive. The prisoner hissed as soon as he felt his body being let go. It had not been his intention to be held against his will.
''Shit, this is so bad. This reaper is not giving me any breathing room. At this rate, I will end up failing my mission.''
This was something the viin was deadly afraid of. He knew he had to make some kind of desperate hail mary y and try running away once Horas was looking away.
Too bad for him, Horas gave him no such opportunity. They soon reached the bunch of kids that were his target and they looked unharmed and vignt.
They had even managed to catch his partner and now had his partner captured and tied up.
"Whoops, now that took some time. Hey Horas, we are over here and we are alright. Did you catch your man as well?"
Howard cheered as soon as he noticed Horas walking toward him. Horas waved his arm in return, showing that he had heard Howard''s words.
He threw the viin at his partner, hoping that this would be the end but the volcano had other ideas. It ended up erupting and the sky turned red.
''Shit. a dungeon formed on this ind. Now we cannot escape it without clearing this dungeon first.''
Horas was not the only one to realize that they were in trouble, everyone else seemed to have noticed as well.
But unlike Horas, they did not know just how bad things had gotten all of a sudden because of this change.
Chapter 60 58: The Escape Route [Pt1]
It was entirely Horas''s fault he was in this situation. And by that, he meant writing such a bullshit setting in his novel.
In his defense, it had sounded cool when he had first written it in but now it was a pain in his ass. The dungeon just had to erupt around him and on this ind.
"I-Is this a dungeon? Why did it appear all of a sudden? I thought we could predict when and where they will open to a degree."
Duke sounded surprised as he questioned the existence of this dungeon. He was the one most surprised by this happening since he had never expected to encounter such a scene.
As the son of a world-renowned adventurer, Duke had been following dungeons ever since the beginning and his parents had enforced his belief in the dungeon association and their tracking abilities.
"Hah, you poor ignorant adventurer child. Do you believe that humans can predict every move of the upper divinity? There is so much you people don''t know about this world because you refuse to broaden your horizons."
The earth viin the children had captured yelled all of a sudden. He sounded justified as he held his head up high.
Howard yanked the chain of the viin a little harder than he was meant to and the viin came crashing down and banged his head on the ground.
"Oops, I am so sorry. Sometimes, I am not able to guess my strength and end up overdoing it. Are you alright?"
Howard extended his hand to the viin but the bound man could not take it. He red up at Howard with a sore expression but it went right over Horas''s head.
"Stop pitying me, you devil child. Do I look like I can ept your help in my current situation?"
The captured viin #2 yelled at Howard. He did not even notice the way Duke gripped his swords and how Regine tensed up, ready to take this man out.
But it was Howard''s reaction that was the most unnerving. He did not even seem to have heard the insult addressed at him by this viin and continued to smile his gentle smile.
"Oh, I am sorry. Here, let me hold you out."
Howard picked up viin #2 quite easily and made him stand on his two feet. He did not even look winded after such a disy of strength and Horas was quite sure Howard had attained this strength in the previous D-ranked dungeon.
Both viin #1 and viin #2 gulped as they noticed this abnormal strength. They could not run away in their current bound condition and even if they did, they had no chance of making it out alive.
"Everyone, this is enough ying around. You all need to pay attention to me and my instructions from here on. A dungeon is not child''s y, no matter how easy it looks to clear. Even the smallest mistake can cost us our lives."
Horas did not want to scare these kids but he needed them to be vignt for their sake. They were facing a big crisis right now.
Howard and Regine agreed with him quite easily and let Horas take the lead but Duke was different.
As someone who had seen the dungeons and rted stuff ever since he was little, he felt entitled to add his opinion into the mix. Especially more so now that Regine, his crush since childhood, was here with them,
"Hey, why should you be allowed to take the lead here? I have just as much experience as you, if not more so when ites to dungeon-rted information. I can be the leader as well."
Dule argues in a childish disy of aggression.
Horas knew that Duke was not serious about wanting to lead, he just wanted attention to be on him at all times. It was his way of coping with stressful parents andck of attention in his life.
''But can this bastard not pick a better timing to be stubborn?''
"Duke, don''t be an idiot. You have theoretical knowledge about a dungeon but you have never spent time in one before. We should just let our teaching aid, Horas take the lead here. He has the experience we can learn from."
Regine quickly put an end to Duke''s tantrum and everyone was surprised when he settled down.
''Wow, I know I made him a simp for Ragina but I did not know Duke had it this bad. Seeing it is something else, alright.''
Horas quickly coughed into his hand to distract himself from what was going on in front of him. It was better to not think about these kids and theirplicated rtionships with each other.
''Ugh, I will need to lead these kids and two viins out of here all on my own. Now I wish I never epted Principal Marbel''s order. Next time I will fight her harder to get out of this.''
Horas promised himself, knowing fully well that he would end up in this position again anyway. He would feel too guilty leaving these kids on their own otherwise.
"So, what are we doing first? Are we fighting monsters? Looking for the boss?"
Howard looked excited to be in his first unsupervised dungeon. Horas knew that Jack was training Howard to take on dungeons ever since Howard was 8 years old. But this would likely be Howard''s first experience with a dungeon.
"We will not be doing any fighting if we can avoid it. Listen, you know that there are two ways to clear a dungeon - to over-explode it with power or to defeat the boss. Now I will tell you a secret way to exit a dungeon"
Everyone leaned closer to Horas to hear the secret.
"You need to look for the exit as soon as possible."
Everyone was visibly frustrated at his answer but Horas did not care for their disappointment. He was giving them valuable life lessons which they would never forget in their lives.
"First of all, the exit will be where the least monsters are concentrated. Usually, we should wait around for the dungeon association to send a rescue team but we do not have time to wait for this right now."
Horas''s words were apanied by another quake and a small explosion from the volcano. Everyone shivered as they watched this unnatural phenomenon happen in front of their eyes.
"Yeah, I agree. I 100% agree with the team leader here. We should run away from this dungeon as soon as possible because we will all die here otherwise. I knew I should have not cheaped out on my donation this month to the all-knowing being."
Viin #1 moaned as he looked up with terrified eyes. The volcano was looking so menacing right now, an omen of death looking over everyone.
The children quickly formed a formation with Howard and Duke taking sides and Regine taking the center spot. The viins were much more scattered around, but they were close to the original group as well.
Horas did not allow his concentration to drop even for a second. He shot down the monsters who came too close to their group. The smaller fries were taken care of by Howard, Duke, and Regine respectively.
The worst thing about a newly formed dungeon was that no one knew where the exit was located.
For now, all they could do was roam around and begin walking around in circles.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
"Hoh, there were still some humans left on this ind. What are you going to do about them, master?"
The raven asked the shadow, waiting for red eyes to open as he looked at the group walking beneath his branch.
*hisss*
Red eyes looked back at the raven from the shadow, only hissing and growling in reply. Thenguage was not one that anyone could understand but the raven still understood what was being said.
"Ahhh, that is a good idea indeed. Then, I shall go ahead and begin preparations. I think the human soul will be a delightful addition to our nightly tter."
The raven yelled as soon as he was finished rying orders. His voice echoed through the forest in an eerie manner, scaring smaller animals.
Then, the crow flew away from his branch, his ck wings fluttering around in the air but not creating any noise.
It was going to lead these children to their death and enjoy their bones once they were made into soup. The raven could not help but salivate at his thoughts.
It was going to be a grand feast this time with a lot of living humans this time. Everyone would cheer in joy as they got to eat their favorite human parts.
Chapter 61 59: The Escape Route [Pt2]
"Hey, is it only me that noticed this? Or, are we walking toward the volcano slowly even though we started walking toward the shore?"
Regine''s words caused the party to suddenly stop walking. They had not noticed this oddity before but Regine was right. They were nearer to the volcano than they had initially started with.
Horas could not help but find it all odd. He was sure he had specifically avoided walking toward the volcano but maybe he had taken a detour somewhere.
"Hmm, you are right! Hey teach, are you sure you did not get us lost somewhere along the way?"
Duke rudely butted in, wanting to rebuke Horas for his wrong decisions. Duke looked far too proud of something he did not even do which caused everyone else to sigh.
"Stop looking so proud, Duke. I don''t think Horas did anything wrong since I was paying attention to our path as well. I think this dungeon is weird and it led us to this path."
Howard quickly corrected Duke while he remained vignt. He was looking at every bit of the future hero he was. And for some reason, Horas was proud of Howard''s calm attitude.
''No, wait. I did not do anything regarding Howard''s development. I have no right to be proud of him.''
Horas pulled himself together and made a decision. They needed to press forward if they wanted to live.
"So, listen everyone. I know this dungeon has been tough on you all but we cannot allow ourselves to fall here. Something wants to lead us into the volcano so we shall be going in."
Horas''s words were met with mixed expressions. Howard and Duke looked ready while Regine looked a little hesitant. However, the ones most concerned seemed to be the two viins.
They looked at Horas like he had lost his head and they instantly rebutted his idea.
"Wait, no, no, no, no, and no. Have you lost your mind? First of all, that is a volcano, not an ordinary mountain. We will be cooked alive even before we found anything. Second, we don''t even know what level this dungeon is. What if we all die in there?"
The viin made some excellent points. But too bad that his points did not mean anything to Horas.
This was a dungeon wherews of normality did not apply. What use did the viin think it was to stay outside in a safe space when the volcano could erupt at any given second?
"You both are wee to stay behind if you want to but I will not be able to guarantee your safety. Besides, this is our only chance to escape this dungeon since the volcano looks ready to erupt at any given second."
Horas reminded the viins who finally seemed to realize that they had no choice but to follow after Horas andpany.
Horas entered the volcanic cave with his three charges and the other two viins awkwardly followed behind him. They looked reluctant but they still did not stop.
"Wow, it''s really hot in here. Now I wish I brought a cooling aid with me."
Regineined as she walked faster. Her body was covered in sweat but she was not the only one who felt hot. She was the only one whoined since she was not used to such difort.
As one of the biggest money tycoons in the world, Regine was used to getting what she wanted, when she wanted. Such setbacks were not written in her life.
Duke sighed, but he opened his skill window to cool the air around Regine. It provided littlefort but Regine sighed in relief.
"Duke, don''t use your skill so carelessly. You don''t have unlimited mana and your body is also limited in energy. You might need to use your skillter."
Horas remind Duke as he pushed Duke''s hand down. The cool air faded from around Regine and she instantly felt hot.
"Hey, why did you-"
Duke''s face was flushed due to the effort he had undergone to use his skill for a few seconds. The temperature difference caused him to use much more mana than he needed.
To think he was a person who would be capable of freezing a volcanic eruption,ter on, was incredible. Duke would have to undergo so much character development.
"Duke, it''s alright. Thanks for trying to help but Horas is right. We should save our energy for what we will be facing ahead."
Regine took Horas''s side which made Duke pout even more. He hated that Regine was not taking his side, but he understood in the grander scheme of things.
"Hey, look. We managed to reach the next level. And there is an elevator up here. What do you think we should do?"
Howard asked as he noticed the metallic door that was open. It did look like an elevator but it only had two options.
To go up or to go down.
"We can either go up or down. Where should we check first?"
Howard asked as he noticed the options on the wall. Everyone hurriedly came into the list and crowded around the floor button.
"I think we should make two teams. One goes up and one goes down. We will be able to cover more of the space that way."
Regine advised but she was faced with awkward faces. No one wanted toe out and say that they did not agree with her n.
"Regine, I don''t think this is such a good idea for us to split up right now. You know, not all of us are trustable, right."
Duke replied with what no one else wanted to say right now. They were in the same boat so no one wanted to try and offend anyone else.
But since Duke had brought up this topic, an awkward air spread in the room.
"Oh, yeah that. I kind of forgot that point for a second. So, what should we do now? We cannot sit here and keep waiting for the cmity to strike us, right?"
Regine questioned to which everyone agreed. They could not wait around for such a thing to happen
"Then, we should split into two teams which had one criminal each. Howard, you and Regine will be one team alone with the criminal you captured. Duke and I will take the other team."
Horas was not especially thrilled to be in a team with Duke but it was a necessary evil.
Duke would be sweet on Regina and help her out instead of looking for clues if they went together. On the other hand, Howard would cause Regina to push herself. It was a safe deal.
The only problem was¡
''Duke is not going to like it. He''s a possessive little shit at this point of his life.''
As Horas expected, Duke was the first one to find a fault with this arrangement. His eyes were red with rage and his fist shook. He was abou to assult Horas.
"You cannot decide that on your own. Why should Ie with you and not with others? What makes you so special?"
Duke questioned, his voice full of attitude. He was the only one who seemed to have a problem here.
"Duke, it''s that temper of yours which worries me. You might lose sight of what we are doing here if I don''t keep you under supervision. Everyone else is much calmer than you are."
It was the truth. Duke was the only one who looked upset right now. Even Regine had epted the fate of going together with Howard.
"You know, this is not¡ugh¡fine. Never mind what I said to you before. If everyone else epts this then I will have to as well."
Horas seemed to be dragging his words out of his throat with force. He looked at everyone else with an annoyed look on his face.
Everyone else breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he calmed down. It would have ended up as a disaster otherwise.
"Alright. Now that we are all in agreement, it''s time to start moving. Howard, you are in charge of the other team so keep them safe."
It might have been a little too much responsibility for a kid but Horas did not forget that Howard was the main protagonist. As such, he had things like plot armor and other things at his disposal.
''Besides, I wrote Howard to be quite a leader. It will be nice to develop his sense of responsibility a little early.''
Horas had a good reason behind anything he did and this time was no different. He was going to develop Howard from the sidelines and the use him to get back home.
Chapter 62 60: The Escape Route [Pt3]
Duke seemed calmer now that Regine was not on his team anymore. It seemed like his personality changed when the mentioned female was not around him.
"This is where we will get down. Make sure you report to me if you find anything missing or weird in your surroundings."
Horas quickly instructed the two people on what he wanted them to do and then began to look around himself. Life had opened up into a small room that did not have much to look around in.
Honestly, Horas was willing to believe that this room was a decoy and the real room was somewhere else. So there might be a hidden mechanism in here somewhere.
"Man, this is tough for sure. I can feel weird energy from the top of this room but there is no way for us to get there from this room. I looked around for the traps but there is nothing worth triggering."
The viin who had been forced to apany Horas and Duke exined. It did not look like he was lying right now but Horas was not convinced that there was no way up.
Especially since there was a room on top of this one. There had to be a way to get there.
"Hmm, I have an idea. Listen, I want you to call life up as soon as I ask you to. If I find something, I can inform you both so you cane up as well."
Horas quickly made ns but Duke looked unsure. The viin was all in for it and gestured for Horas to hurry up.
Horas waited for the lift toe closer before he jumped down right on top of it. He waited in anticipation until the liftnded on his previous floor.
As he had expected, there was a room on top of this one that looked different and was much denser in energy artiction. It was the real hidden room in this ce and it was what this room above the previous one.
"Alright, there is a room up here. Let me walk off the lift and then you both cane up as well."
Horas instructed and pretty soon all three of them were up in the volcano''s hidden room.
This room was much cooler than any other Horas had been in before. It was alsoced with technology all around the room. It reminded Horas of thest dungeon he had been in.
"Wow, look at this small nano-converter. I heard that these cost thousands of dors to make, never mind being sold to the general public. Was the dungeon association trying to conduct experiments on this ind?"
Horas very much doubted that it was the dungeon association who was behind this situation.
First of all, this ind was part of themunal grounds and no one was allowed her except the chosen ones. And it was also under the academy''s protection so the dungeon association was not allowed to use it.
This much technology did not sit well with Horas and he felt the need to report it to the academy.
As soon as he opened hismunication device, he heard Howard''s message.
"Ugh, did you people find anything? There is nothing down here but the bones of monsters and discarded nt bodies. I don''t think Regine is feeling well right now because of all the unpleasant scenery. So can wee up now?"
Howard seemed to be unwell as well but he seemed to hold on better than Regine in the background.
Horas felt sorry for sending the kids down and he quickly instructed them toe up to this room.
Soon, all six of them were in a single room but they were at a stand-still again. What should they do from here on? It was not like they had a n to follow.
"Hmm, we should start looking around for another door. I am sure this room is connected to a bigger ce since I can feel the vibrations. But I cannot feel where the opening to the bigger room is."
Viin #1 informed Horas and the gang. His partner sent him questionable looks for help out but viin #1 ignored his partner.
"Are you trying to help us out? I don''t see why you would want to tell us all this. What is your goal?"
Howard questioned as he smacked his hand on the wall. Suddenly, the portion he had smacked got pressed down and a hidden door opened.
''Talk about the protagonist''s plot armor. I did make Howard unnecessarily lucky and that was a blessing.''
Horas was thankful that Howard was here. They could finally start moving now.
Just like the previous dungeon, this one had bodies of unique monsters disyed in test tubes as well but there was ack of human touch to this ce. It seemed to have been abandoned and in a hurry at that.
"Hey, look at this. Aren''t these research notes?"
Regine held up a small file that had a codednguage written on it. A quick scan decoded the message in those files and Horas quickly hide them.
[Day 103: The experiment is a sess. We were finally able to start producing artificial energy. Soon, the day of the end woulde.]
[Day 165: The ind is behaving weirdly. It has begun to show signs of mutation and we will need to flee soon]
[Day 207: I cannot take it anymore. This experiment was a failure. Ch¨ngd¨°ng lied to us all when he said that he would help. He caused this mess.]
[Day 300: It''s all over. The high demons have been summoned and the god had forsaken us. We were lied to all this time by the people we trusted. This world - it wille to an end soon since he is awake and has been for some time.]
All these notes were important and ssified information. Horas needed to take them back to the academy.
"Hey, why did you hide those notes? I wanted to read them."
Regineined, now realizing that ignorance was bliss. It would be merciful for her to only be concerned about her adventurers.
"This is ssified information. If it is deemed safe, it would be released to the masses. Besides, you need to focus on getting out of this dungeon alive first."
Horas reminded Regine and she fell quiet. She realized that Horas was right and that they were in real danger.
They all kept on walking and reached another door soon. It was heavy and metallic which made Horas hesitate to open it. Something dangerous was lurking behind this door for sure.
"I-I don''t think we should open this door. It feels like the boss of this dungeon is behind it so let''s ignore it, alright?"
Viin #1 requested with a scared and small voice. Viin #2 seemed to agree but Howard was determined to go in.
"We should take this chance and attack. The volcano will not stay quiet for long and who knows where the entrance door is? The only way for us to get out of here is to defeat the boss."
Howard spoke up with a confident voice. But Horas was the one who stopped everyone from this argument.
"Howard Spencer, we will not be fighting this boss since it is too dangerous. You might not have realized something because we did not meet high-leveled monsters but this dungeon is no ordinary dungeon."
"I am an A-ranked adventurer and I am not wearing inhibitors. That means that this dungeon is at least A-ranked or higher. Do you think we can take on such a tough monster all on our own?"
Howard fell quiet after Horas smacked the reality bomb on top of his head.
But that did notst long before Howard''s frustration broke through the surface and his determined eyes looked at Horas.
"Then, what do you want me to do? Sit back and wait for our deaths? Surely that was not your n since the start?"
Howard questioned Horas and everyone waited around for his answer.
"As if. We are here to find the highest ground possible. We need to be visible to the rescue team for them to find us faster, remember?"
Horas''s biggest objective while walking into the volcano was to climb on top and have the rescue team find them before the volcano could erupt.
His distress signal had been picked up already so someone was here to take them out. Horas had expected Jack Hollow to take swift action for Howard''s sake.
"O-Oh right. That is the guideline in the survival tactics book. Ipletely forgot about it."
Howard calmed down once Horas exined things to him. And then the climb began again for their party.
The rescue helicopter managed to pick them up before the volcano erupted and Horas was sure that all the evidence of thatb and its data was gone.
At least he had managed to retrieve a lot of it.
"Horas, go and report to Principal Marble about what happened. She is calling for you."
Horas was not surprised this happened and he was excited to report back as well. It was troublesome news to know that someone had managed to infiltrate this ind.
That meant that there was a traitor among the staff in this academy.
Chapter 63 61: The Scent Demon [Pt1]
After a brief report (interrogation) by Principal Marble''s side, Horas was finally let go. He copsed on his bed and gathered his thoughts about what had happened today. Theb had appeared again, and the dungeon seemed artificially constricted.
It did not look like the work of the viin group since the two Horas had handed over to the authorities were just as stunned as him.
Something bigger was going on behind the scene. Something more sinister and unbearable was going to happen.
And along with all of this, the first major event of his book was also approaching - Emma Dew''s encounter with a viin who would try to sacrifice her to obtain more power.
Horas did not remember how he wrote the scene, but he still knew the basics.
It would start with the introduction to the scent club. So the first scene had already happened in this timeline. It was time for the next event that bonded Emma tighter to the scent club - the first club meeting.
As far as Horas remembered, Emma had been discriminated against because of her friendship with Howard, and that shady senior hade to help her out. That had been the start of something between them.
Horas did not want to interfere with this but he could no longer trust the story. So he will have to go in person to check what was going on.
That was how, the very next day, the scene club members sat stiffly in their seats during their first official club meeting. An uninvited person was upying one of the side tables and everyone could not help but notice him.
Emma Dew was no different. As soon as she walked into the club room, she was faced with the stiffening atmosphere of the room and she looked up at the person who caused it.
She was surprised to see their instructor Horas in the room. She was even more surprised to see him up and about already.
Emma had heard from Howard what happened yesterday during their club meeting. Howard was unable to go to school since he had been prescribed bed rest to check for any lingering effects.
But it seemed like Horas did not have this problem.
''Or, did hee to check on me since he saw me having a hard time a few days ago? S-Surely not. I must be thinking too much.''
Emma took her seat with her face red. She could not calm herself down now that this thought had prated her mind. She needed to calm down but she could not.
"Alright everyone, hurry up and take your¡seats.."
The senior who had introduced Emma to this club walked in as well but he faltered as soon as he noticed Horas in the ssroom as well.
The instructors hardly ever mingled with the clubrooms so it was a surprise to see Horas. What was even more annoying was that it cowshed with the senior''s ns.
He had nted specific scents around the room that would sh with Emma Dew''s scent and make people annoyed at her.
The senior had wanted to iste Emma but it would be impossible to do if Horas kept on being in the room. No one wanted to go against Horas after all.
A few people tried to follow the instruction they had been given by him but one look at Horas was enough to make them back down. His reputation was just too strong.
''And is it my imagination or is Horas looking out for Emma Dew? It might look like he zoning out but his gaze is fixed on Emma''s direction. Does he know of my ns? That cannot be possible.''
The senior was scared of what would happen next and he decide to fall back. He will not be able to get to Emma today.
Meanwhile, Emma and her surrounding females were all thinking the same thing.
"Is the instructor still looking? Oh my god, he''s looking at me, right? Do you think he likes me?"
"No stupid. He''s looking at me because he likes me. I am sure he is looking over at me right now."
"I-I think it''s me he''s looking at. I mean, he joined at this time when the new students joined so he''s here for a first year."
Emma heard all these words but her heart still said that Horas was looking at her and no one else. It made her heart skip a beat to think that Horas liked her this much.
''No, I should not get my hopes up. I made this mistake with Howard before, thinking he liked me only to be sister-zoned by him. I am not going to make the same mistake again.;''
The orientation ended soon. Some people tried to talk to Emma but they ended up looking away as soon as she met their eyes. It was too bad that they were such shy people.
She did not notice how Horas was hovering around her group the whole day but many people noticed. And that was how the rumor of the reaper liking a first-year spread all around the academy.
¡¡¡¡¡¡.
"Yo Horas, I heard the rumor. It looks like spring has finallye for you, right?"
Horas dodged the hand that was reaching out for his head to ruffle his heir. He had too much practice dodging Mark to make it easy for him.
Now, Horas had two options about what he could do here. He could either allow Mark to keep making fun of him while he pretended like he was ignorant, or he could tell Mark the truth.
It was obvious which one won out in the end.
"Actually, regarding that rumor. There is a reason I went to the scent club today. Do you know how there are viins who managed to slip into the academy? Well, I followed one of their trails and it led me to the scent club."
Mark''s teasing tone bleeds out of his voice all of a sudden. His serious look was something that was hardly ever seen so Horas was taken aback by it.
"I see. So that was the case after all. I expected it to be something like this. I hope you are aware of what you are doing because we can''t interfere without solid evidence."
Mark was right. The higher authorities could not interfere without any solid proof in their hands.
But that was where Horas came in. He could help find the clued that tied this case together. And that was what he went to the scent club to do.
"By the way, are you sure your decision had nothing to do with a certain first year you were keeping an eye on? Don''t worry, it''s only a five years difference and I won''t shame you."
Mark asked,ing back to his teasing tone. He was wearing Horas''s patience thin with his teasing.
"Just shut up right now Mark before you get killed by me. I am not in the mood to endure all your teasing."
The sound of Mark''sughter along with the teasing along with pounding in Horas''s head was making him mad. He was going to go to sleep and not think about it anymore.
That night, Horas found himself waking in the middle of the night for no reason. He quickly got off the bed, only to realize that he was not the only one up.
Tora had woken up in the middle of the night with agitation as well. She looked pissed off, sneezing all the while. It seemed like something had gotten in her nose. It seemed like there was a weird scent in the air tonight.
"Looks like we need to head out for an investigation tonight, Tora. I''m sorry that you had to wake up like this."
Horas apologized to his metallicpanion and Tora replied with an annoyed growl. She had not liked to be woken up and now someone was going to pay.
Toras''s sharp nose led the way and Horas arrived at the greenhouse of the academy.
Chapter 64 62: The Scent Of A Demon [Pt2]
There was not much distance to cover from Horas''s dorm to the greenhouse. But it was concerning howcking the security was regarding this ce.
Not to mention, it was the second time in a week that the greenhouse had been targeted by someone. At this rate, the greenhouse would have to be a red zone for students not to enter.
*Growl*
Tore seemed to have smelled something and she quickly turned the corner on her metallic legs. The ground had a small patch of dirt and nothing else. But one of the exotic nt species from the disy case seemed to have been stolen.
"This is bad. I will need Mark to check the security footage for this tomorrow."
The reason Horas was worried was mainly due to the event tomorrow. It was the day for the fragrance club to hold their first activity of making perfumes.
Usually, it was not a dangerous event but now Horas was not sure about it. Some forbidden ingredients seemed to have been stolen from the greenhouse.
"Tora, it looks like you will have to apany me tomorrow to the clubs. Make sure you remember this fragrance in front of you because we will be sniffing it out."
Toras purred as Horas rubbed her head. She leaned into his affectionate touch and then went back to sniffing.
Soon, the morning came and everyone pointed toward Horas and hispanion as he went about his day. Everyone wanted to approach Tora but they were too afraid for Horas toe near.
Little did they know that this action just saved their lives. Tora did not like to be touched by strangers and would often snap at even Mark if he tried to pet her.
But of course, the only exception was Howard Spencer, Horas''s younger brother, and the protagonist. And Horas only found out once thebat ss for the day started.
It was being held in an artificial field that stimted a dungeon-like environment. Horas walked around and coincidently found Howard training with his sword.
Tora noticed him as well and she jumped him. Howard noticed it toote and braced himself for the pain but nothing happened.
His chest was made into a warm pillow for Tora and that was it.
"Woah, what happened here? Oh, hi Horas. Is this kitty yours? Can you get her off my chest? I cannot practice if she uses me like a pillow."
Howardined but he did not move from his position. He lookedfortable where he was and his hands were shaking due to fatigue.
It seemed like the protagonist was not sleeping properly these days and it worried Horas. His ticket home was not taking care of himself.
"Sorry kid but once Tora had made her decision even I cannot get her to stand up."
Howard sighed as soon as he heard those words and he gave up on getting Tora off his chest. Now that he was more rxed than before, Howard looked like a kid his age.
The clearing was silent and Howard would have preferred to keep it as such had Howard not opened his mouth. And the question he asked almost made Horas choke.
"So, Horas, I heard from Emma that you came to her club yesterday. You do know that Emma is too young for you, right? N-Not that I disapprove of your interest or anything, but maybe let her grow up a little and-"
Horas groaned as soon as he heard Howard. It was like hearing Mark talk to him all over again and be teased for something he did not even do.
But unlike Mark, Howard was taking this topic a little too seriously. Howard could not believe that Horas liked Emma, right?
"Wait, hold your train of thoughts right there. Whatever you are thinking is not right and I do not like Emma Dew. Why does everyone keep on thinking that I like someone if I happen to look at them? Where is the logic in this?"
Horas had not meant to break out into a rant but he was not able to stop himself. It was frustrating for him how everyone made decisions about him, especially his love life.
Howard looked stunned to see Horasining but he soon broke outughing.
"Man, I don''t know who this ''Mark is but I can see why he enjoys teasing you so much. Your reactions, are hrious to watch. Being like this makes me feel like I am closer to you. Almost as if we share a bond."
Howard spoke with ease but his words almost gave Horas a heart attack. He did not want the protagonist to know the rtionship between himself and Horas. It would not be good for Horas in the long run.
"Stop talking nonsense about things you do not know anything about. Tora, get up as well because we need to head back now. We cannot bete for today''s meetings."
Tora looked stunned as Horas picked her up and took her away. She tried to protest but settled down as soon as she noticed that Horas was not happy. Even Howard looked stunned at the sudden retreat.
He tried to speak to Horas but the time for training was ending. Howard needed to go and report today''s progress if he did not want to be marked as absent.
"Horas, sorry but I need to head out now. I will talk with you and Torater, alright?"
Howard waved Horas off as he hurried away. Horas breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he watched Howard go away. It had been too much for him to deal with Howard and his unending enthusiasm.
"Now then, let''s get what needs to be done today and enjoy a long break. I hope nothing happens today."
Horas prayed as he let Tora go. The mechanical cat followed behind him to the scent club. They both had work to do now.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
"Can you see it? I can''t believe he brought his cat here."
"A beautiful man and a beautiful cat. It''s a goodbination. Now, if only Horas can smile a little, it would be even better for us."
All around the room, people looked at Horas and wanted to approach his cat. But Tora ignored them all and remained curled up against Horas.
Those who had seen Tora in action were nervous and tried not to get on her nerves. That was how the club began.
"E-Everyone, since today is your first ss, we will start with some basic ingredients for all of you. Do not be too nervous and ask for more if you need them."
The club president was hesitant to start but he did when he noticed Horas not paying attention to him or his lecture. He was watching the kids mix perfumes with aser focus.
The club leader watched nervousness as Horas moved between students. His sharp eyes looked at the ingredients, not missing anything in the process. It was nerve-wracking for the club president and members.
Especially even more so, when the devil spawn that was Tora decided to get down from Horas''s shoulder and decided to sniff around the area. She was smelling the herbs and dering if they were dangerous or not.
The club leader was assured that he had not mixed anything dangerous but not everyone was as calm as him.
After all, there was one person here who knew that dangerous herbs had been mixed in with normal herbs. He had raided the greenhouse yesterday so he still had the smell.
''Darn this man. Why is he here? Just to make me suffer like this. What the hell do I do now?''
Chapter 65 63: The Club Is Ruined
Horas watched as Tora jumped on tables and sniffed the herbs. She had remembered the scent from yesterday but it must be frustrating to find a single smell in this vast room full of other scents.
Still, Horas was confident that Tora will be able to find the herbs that had been lost yesterday. And especially more so since she seemed to have narrowed down the area.
Tora was running around Emma''s desk and some of her neighbors, signaling that these desks were the problem. But no one seemed to have noticed Tora''s moments just yet.
Emma did try to pet Tora but the mechanical cat refused to behave and kept on evading Emma''s touch.
So it did not take long for Emma to give up with a flush on her face. The cat had not seemed interested in him.
Horas did not make his move until the suspicious senior walked over to Emma and touched her shoulder. That innocent touch sent warning signals off inside Horas''s brain.
"-and this herb needs to be boiled to get the fragrance out."
The senior seemed to be exining to Emma with a patient expression. Many people were looking over at Emma with curious looks in their eyes as she got one-on-one guidance from the senior.
He was currently holding a herb that looked suspicious.
Horas had a sharper-than-usual nose so he was able to pick up scents easily. This herb did not smell like any of the perfumes listed today. It had a sharp and tingle smell which indicated that it was an illegal herb.
Tora seemed to think the same because she jumped on top of the table and shed at that tangled herb until it could no longer be used.
The senior and Emma were startled by Toras''s sudden moment. The senior looked especially rough and panicked as soon as he noticed his precious herb being wasted like this.
He had risked so much to get this herb. He had headed out to get it in the middle of the night and evaded teachers on the way out.
Heck, he had even gotten lucky to be missed by Horas yesterday night. So he could not allow things to worsen his position.
"Aww, these herbs were destroyed. I don''t think we can use them anymore."
Emmamented as she looked at the nts on the ground. The textbook said not to use herbs that were faulty because their core could react weirdly.
"N-Nonsense. We can still use these herbs. See, their core is intact so there should be no problem-"
Horas noticed that the senior would not back down if he did not interfere. So Horas had no other choice but to walk over to the senior and wait for him to notice.
Thankfully, it did not take long for the senior to notice Horas''s presence behind his back.
"This herb is destroyed. Whether the core is intact or not, does not matter. The manual says to throw away such herbs so we shall do that. A first-timer should not even try to preserve herbs."
Horas exined as he picked up Tora from the bench. He scratched her head in a ''good job'' manner and called the president over to him.
"Instructor, how can I help you out? Whatever you say shall be done by me so do not be weary of asking."
The president was sweating bullets at this point. He did not want any trouble in his club so he decided to be polite to Horas.
Horas pointed toward the destroyed herb on the ground and the club leader looked down at the mess.
"Tora messed up this herb. We need a recement as soon as possible. Do you think you can go and get us some more?"
Horas was not asking, he was demanding this from the club leader. No matter how politely Horas had worded these things, no one would dare disobey him.
The club leader was no different and he picked up the herd to check what it was. As soon as he brightened the heard closer to his nose, he was stunned to notice that this was not a normal herb that was first years used.
"T-This! There must have been a mixed up in the ingredients given out to the first years. Everyone, stop what you are doing and back away. There is an emergency and we will need to check your ingredients."
The suspicious senior cursed under his breath as he noticed all his efforts go down the drain. He had not expected this herb to be caught.
Students backed away from their tables with worried expressions. Many did not even know what was happening but followed the instructions nheless.
Emma was the one who was stunned the most. These herbs were discovered on her table and she was afraid to see them in the open. It was almost as if she had been the intended victim of this prank.
"Emma, calm down. Things like these can happen sometimes and you will be alright once we investigate things."
The senior who hade over to help her out exined. It helped Emma calm down since he was there with her.
Now that she thought back at it, the senior had also not noticed this dangerous herb so there was no way Emma would have noticed it. She was just thinking too much right now.
"You are right senior. Er, I''m sorry but what was your name?"
Emma only realized that she did not know this senior''s name all this while. The senior looked taken aback by her sudden question but he decided to answer her.
"My name is Kevin. I¡forgot to introduce myself again, right? This often happens to me. Anyway, you do not need to worry about what you went through since it can happen to anyone. Heck, even I took that herb."
The senior, no Kevin assured Emma. She felt better once she had that reassurance from him.
"I-I see. That is reassuring to know that it was not my fault. Thank you for speaking to me."
Emma thanked the senior and then the club was dismissed. She quickly made her way out of the ssroom with her heart pounding.
She could not believe that she had humiliated herself in front of Horas. She wanted to disappear but she kept her cool. She needed to rectify what happened and her image needed to be restored in Horas''s eyes.
Emma looked in the hallway, only to be taken aback by seeing Loris. The weird female was lurking around here when her club was in the other building.
Emma was about to call Loris when she stopped short. Loris had made a direct walk toward Horas and turned him around.
She had done it so naturally that Emma was jealous. She wanted to go over and be this familiar with Horas as well. But she did not have enough confidence in herself.
"Emma, is everything alright? You look a little stiff there."
Her ssmates asked, not noticing Loris and Horas talking with each other. The two had all but disappeared by now from Emma''s sight.
"Yeah, I am alright. I just happened to see something upsetting and it is hitting me now. I will be back to normal in a little time so you don''t need to be worried about me."
Emma assured her ssmates and they quickly live her alone in the hallway.
''No, don''t think too much about it Emma. Nothing is going on between those two. There is no need for you to be worried.''
Chapter 66 64: Reaching Out For Help [Pt1]
It did not get easier for Emma not to think about Horas once she was back in her room. She had been like a zombie throughout dinner, and Howard looked worried.
He had tried asking Emma what was wrong with her but Emma had been unable to answer him. She had nothing decent to say about what happened to her in the club.
So when Howard had pressed her for the details, all Emma could do was to try and hide her face away. She could just not face her feelings.
''I need to thank Horas for helping me out. And I also should not feel this jealousy over Horas talking with another girl. After all, they could be friends.''
Emma tried to reassure herself but it was difficult to do for herself. She was just trying to fool herself at this point.
She somehow fell into a fitful sleep and woke up with a fresh mind the next day.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡..
Out of everyone Horas had expected to seek him out, Loris Hamelton was thest person he expected.
Not because she was a main character who was a loner, but more so because she did not have a significant role in the first half of the school arc.
She was someone who was involved in various idents without having any link to them. But it was onlyter it was revealed that she was a spy sent by thebs to study the students.
"Instructor Horrs, do you have some time for me? I need your help with something."
Horas did not want to entertain Loris Hamelton but she had asked his help in the middle of the hallway. Horas could not ignore her without any good reason. So he decided to bite his tongue for now and stop.
Everyone else was hurrying past Horas right now but they were all keeping an ear out for him. Horas knew it was going to be an irritating time.
"I do have time to hear you out. Do you want to speak to me in private or would this hallway work?"
Horas resigned himself to his fate. Loris had sought him out in such an open area because she did not want to risk Horas running away from her.
"Hmm, this ce works for me. I just need your time for an experiment of mine. I hope you will help me out if you have time right now."
Loris''s eyes sparkled as she looked over at Horas. He was sure that denying her would serve no purpose for him.
All Horas could do was agree with Loris in the end and participate in her experiment.
Besides, he was also curious about the kind of experiment Loris was carrying out. She was from thebs and those ces were notorious for keeping a tight grip on their worker''s mouths.
There was even a rumor that thebs used illegal means to shut their worker''s mouths. Horas did not want to find out if it was true first handed.
"You will help me out. Good, then follow me and we shall go and start right now. I hope you are ready to exert your body a little."
Loris did not likely mean anything dirty but the seniors around Horas and Loris did not have clear minds. Their shit-eating grins told Horas what exactly they thought about Loris''s offer.
"Loris chose a rtive public location for your experiment and I shall help you out."
In the end, Horas had no choice but to give in to Loris''s demands. She was just too insisting on Horas''s help.
There were groans of disappointment as Horas denied the students a subject to gossip about. They were all disappointed and that was like music to Horas''s ears.
On the other hand, Loris did not seem to mind Horas''s restrictions at all. There was a satisfied grin on her face and a dangerous glint in her eyes.
"Don''t worry. The experiment I need to conduct requires a lot of human involvement so we will hardly be alone at any given time. I just need your help for the first part."
Horas had a feeling he would regret his decision to help Loris out.
Loris was generally shy and did note out strong. That was why, when she came to Horas for help in such an open manner, he should have realized that something was wrong with her.
She was just not acting like herself because her ''other half'' had taken over her.
"Can you put that can into the ground? A little deeper would be appreciated."
When Loris had said she would be conducting her experiment in a people-filled ce, she had not been lying.
She had chosen the school''s central za as the ce for her experiment. And the experiment was simple enough as well.
All Horas needed to do was burrow this small tin can into the ground while Loris brought the animal club''s trained animals to dig it out after finding it. It was a simple experiment.
"Instructor, are you done on your end? Can I let these dogs out?"
Loris asked as she held a huge dog back. All the animals in this academy were specially trained and had powers to apany them.
As such, a dedicated club for research was needed.to make these animals feel warm and needed. That was the club Loris was currently a part of.
"I am done here. Give me a sec and I will get out of your way."
Loris nodded as Horas backed away. Once he felt like he was far enough, Horas gave the signal for the leash to be dropped. Loris did as Horas had instructed her to do and the leash was instantly let go of.
Horas watched as the dog ignored the people around him and continued to make a straight line for the hidden container.
Horas tensed when it looked like the dog would crash into someone but that never happened. He also made his way toward Loris who looked satisfied with her oue.
You don''t have to be so worried about the animals I train, since they never go berserk. I guess this is a talent I always had."
Horas did not say anything, remembering the time when Loris had been unsure about joining this club or not. Today, her alternate personality was shining too much.
"So, what do you think of my trained dog? He''s a nice pet, right?"
Loris asked as she petted the dog in front of her. It had done a good job of sniffing out the troublesome box from the ground.
"He''s well-trained but I cannot figure out why you wanted me to see this so desperately if this was all the help you needed from me."
Loris paused halfway through petting the dog in her arms. Her calm eyes looked Horas up and down, but this time they were filled with caution and intent.
"I do want your help still. This was not part of the experiment I asked you to help me with. Don''t worry, I will not waste your time with meaningless things."
Loris offered and this time, Horas was interested in what she had to say to him.
Wherever Loris needed help with, it seemed to be important enough for her to drop everything else ande to him. He was willing to listen Loris out for this reason alone.
Chapter 67 65: Reaching Out For Help [Pt2]
5"I do want your help still. This was not part of the experiment I asked you to help me with. Don''t worry, I will not waste your time with meaningless things."
After Lois had made her stand, she quickly dragged Horas to the back forest she had mentioned, it was a rtively calm ce with not a lot of monster activity and that was why Horas did not think much of it.
But once he put some pressure on his brain, he remembered writing about such a thing in the book.
''Ever so often, Louis would disappear into the woods to conduct experiments but no one knew why she went to the woods or what she did in the woods. All that was known about her was that she liked to go to the woods.
Even when she became friends with Howard, her habit of going to the woods did noo stop.''
That was thest of what Horas knew about her since he had stopped writing soon after. Now the mystery was in front of his face but he did not want to know what it was about.
"Are you scared of these woods? You should not be because this ce is calm and peaceful. There are no external monsters in here either. This ce is my haven and I love it."
Loris was calm right now and it seemed as if the forest was keeping her wild side at bay. Horas was surprised to see her not attacking him outright.
But then again, Loris''s current behavior was quite different from the one she showed in the book. She was behaving like Horas had wanted to write her in the second half of the book.
"By the way, Instructor Horas, you read my report, right? Don''t try to deny it because it will not work for me. My other half might be naive enough to fall for your tricks but I am different."
Loris stopped suddenly once they had arrived deep into the forest.
Horas was instantly on alert as soon as he noticed the quietness of the forest around him. He could not even hear the sound of birds rustling around him.
He was about to call Loris out for trying to trick him when a sudden shadow lept toward him. Horas was able to dodge the attack, but barely.
"You! What do you think you are doing?"
Horas''s yelling had no answer. Loris had disappeared from his line of sight and her greatsword was moving through the air with incredible speed.
Horas was currently under attack by Loris and he had to admit that Loris was good. But it was to be expected by Loris who was one of the protagonists and a front-row fighter.
"Loris, you need to stop. I will have to hold you ountable if you do not seize your attacks right now."
Horas gave onest warning to Loris, not expecting her to listen to him. So he was surprised when Loris did stop her attack.
She blinked a few times as her sword came to rest. Her eyes blinked with mischief and Horas thought he read a ''good luck'' on her lips before her body went ck.
Horas was about to catch Loris when she woke up and caught herself. She looked confused about what was happening and that was how Horas knew she had changed ces with her other self.
''Ugh, can I not just leave Loris out here and go back right now? She said that there is no danger out in these woods.''
Horas debated whether he should go back now or not. But he decided to stay for the time being. Loris was an important character after all.
Thankfully, she came around soon enough and realized what could have happened. Loris''s face was red and she could not look horas in the eye.
"I am so sorry for whatever I did. Sometimes, I am not aware of what I am doing."
Loris tried to exin without sounding crazy or offending Horas. She did not know that she was in luck since she had managed to find one person who understood her situation better than anyone else.
"I understand that this is something you cannot talk to me about. There is no need for you to force yourself to speak."
Horas assured Loris as briefly as he could. As an instructor, he had seen a lot of students with difficult circumstances. He tried not to treat Loirs as special because she was a protagonist.
Loris looked ufortable but surprised at Horas''s understanding attitude. But since she looked ufortable to continue talking, Horas did encourage her to speak.
They went back in silence, but Horas could not help but think that something was wrong with the forest.
The shadows that had attacked Horas belonged to animals he had never seen before. But Loris had distracted him before Horas could pay any attention to those monsters.
''Yet another thing that has been added to my te of things to worry about. I cannot believe I need to be careful with these unnecessary plot points.''
Keith decided to form a reminder in his mind abouting back here and checking the forest out. But he was also concerned about the uing event with Emma and the scent club.
''Why do all these events have to happen one after the other? Can I not do anything to avoid the tragedy that is about toe?''
Horas knew the answer - he had passed the point of no return already. He had a chance to divert the path to a new one but he was afraid of what that would result in.
So now he had to live with his decisions.
Tora looked up at Horas when he came in and her satisfaction rumbled in her throat. Horas scratched her head before helping her up.
"Tora, we are going on a hunt tomorrow. And just because tomorrow will be a special day, I will grant you special permission to hunt to your heart''s desire. You can go wild tomorrow."
Toras had the most satisfied look of her life on her face. Horas was sure it would be an enjoyable day for her at least.
And because it was going to be an enjoyable day for Tora, he knew he will need to damage control.
Principal Marble would have a lot of words for him but Horas was ready to hear them from her. But at least he will be able to keep himself out of trouble if the culprit was found to be a viin.
Chapter 68 66: The Attack [Pt1]
The third day of the club meeting was usually used to wee the new members and as a result, a small party was held in their honor.
This was also the time when the scent club was attacked in the original novel and Emma Dew was kidnapped by their shitty senior also known as Kevin. And currently, that party was about to start.
Naturally, Horas wanted to be there to prevent an incident from happening as it had in the book. It severely traumatized Emma and she had be handicapped for some time after this.
It had only been her friendship with Howard that had saved her but now even that seemed a little strained.
But as much as Horas wanted to head out toward the scent club, he was stuck in his club - the exploration club. And it was for the same reason Howard had arrivedte to save Emma in the original novel.
''Ugh, I should have just not paid attention to Principal Marble and her conditions. I would not have been in this condition if I did that.''
In the end, Principal Marble permitted Tora to be allowed on the campus for some time but she had asked Horas to participate in the club in return.
So currently, it was Tora who was patrolling the school grounds and keeping an eye on the scent club. That was the thought that kept Horas focused on this activity around him.
"Horas, I did not expect you to be here today. Are you sure it is alright for you to havee to this party?"
Instructor Harris, the other one who was in charge of the exploration club asked Horas. He was more than aware of how much Horas hated such gatherings and wanted to run away every time he was forced to participate in one.
In reality, Horas did not hate these formalities but he did find them to be annoying. He usually did not spend much time in here because of the odd looks he got.
The students were too terrified of him to approach him while he was too young for the teachers. He was an enigma who did not fit into either sphere of influence.
This was something Instructor Harris knew well but he still pretend like he did not. And while it had been charming at first, it was nothing if not annoying by this point in time.
"Ahh, I wish I could stay behind for a little longer but it seems like there is someone else who wants to talk to you."
Instructor Harris looked around the hallway and Horas was sure he was feeling the presence of the same pair of eyes as Instructor Harris did. It seemed like Howard Spence was dying to talk to Horas and he could not wait.
His feet were moving around impatiently as he tried to hold his curiosity in. But the way Howard looked his way ever so often convinced Horas that he needed to avoid the person.
"Instructor Harris, can you just stick around a little bit more? I am currently not in the mood to entertain anyone."
Horas was not even being subtle at this point. He was all but pointing out toward Howard as he asked for protection. But the instructor only took one look at Horas''s face andughed out loud.
"Horas, you cannot keep on running away from people who want to get to know you. One of these days, you need to make an effort from your side."
Instructor Harris told him as he walked away slowly. From the corner of his eyes, Horas could see Howard making his way toward him. It was not a good sign and Horas quickly looked around for a familiar face.
He was only able to spot Duke and Regine in the mess of a club room. The rest of the extras were people Horas had never paid attention to before so he did not know them very well.
Howard had noticed Horas''s panic and he hurried toward the ce where Horas was currently standing. Horas had no choice but to resign to his fate of meeting Howard today.
"Hey Horas, you are here at this party as well. I was sure you were going to miss out on this but I am so d to see you decided toe. I am sure you will not regret your decision toe here."
Howard spoke fast and sped his hands into Horas''s own. Horas was already regretting his decision ofing to this party.
''If not for the Principal, I would have been able to apany Toras today. I should have apanied Tora today anyway.''
Horas was regretful that he had not taken advantage of his opportunity. He had chances to get out of this party and he should have taken it.
"Hey Horas, I wanted to invite you out to my home. I think my guardian wants to offer you a position and working opportunities outside the academy and-"
Horas was half listening to Howard as his attention was primarily focused on Tora and her agitation. It seemed like something had finally happened in the scent club and it was Horas''s clue to move.
"-so can youe with me?"
"Sure kid, let''s talk about itter. I need to head out right now since it''s an emergency."
Howard looked offended and d at the same time and Horas should have been paying attention to what was being talked about.
But he did not and that was a problem for another day. For now, Horas needed to catch up with Tora and make sure Emma was not kidnapped and taken outside the academy.
The scent club was filled with the smell of sleeping potion but Horas had already taken the attitude for such a scenario. He knew such a thing would be attempted so he had prepared hard for it.
It was nice to see that all his preparations were finally bearing fruit for him in the end.
"Tora, hurry up and chase after that scent. Do not let it get away from us if you can help it."
Horas instructed and Tora changed shapes from a small cat to a big tiger and chased after the scent only she could smell right now. It was a good thing she had such a sharp nose and could assist Horas.
Chapter 69 67: The Attack [Pt2]
"I would like to wee everyone and thank you all for joining the scent club as well. I know we are a small group and we do not have many resources, but we will still try our best to help you all develop."
Emma watched as the club president gave his speech. He was so cool and calm as he spoke about passion and following one''s dreams.
Emma looked around for Horas but Horas was nowhere to be seen. Emma tried not to be too disappointed by this since it was a given, he would not be here. Horas was not even a part of this club.
''Do not be a fool and expect Horas to follow you around. It was a coincidence, a one-time thing that Yohan was here. Do not expect this to keep on happening.''
Emma shook her head to clear the misunderstanding. She could not let her feelings blind her from the truth she knew.
"Aww, Horas did note in the end."
"I guess he got bored of this club in the end. And I wanted to see him as well to confirm his feelings for me."
"Do not be foolish. As if Horas likes you! He likes me and besides, there was no way Horas could be here today. He''s part of the exploration club and they are having their new members orientation today as well."
Emma tried hard not to head the gossip but it was difficult when these people were talking so loudly just beside her.
There was also the fact that Emma was interested in this topic of conversation so her attention was driven toward it no matter what she did.
''Ah, Horas was a part of the exploration club so he needed to be there. It is not like I have been abandoned by him or anything. I should not be so discouraged by this one setback.''
Emma pumped herself up as she looked up. Senior Kevin met her eyes and he smiled her way. Emma felt her mouth unconsciously pull itself up into a smile.
Senior Kevin smiled at her back and waved her way. Emma waved back and received quite a few res for her effort. Many seniors who liked senior Kevin did not like that Emma was close to him.
She tried not to let these res bother her but it was difficult. She had no friend in this club to keep herpany.
"Alright everyone, we will now be opening a very special scent box prepared by Kevin. I hope you are all ready for this surprise."
The club president joked as he brought forth a medium-sized box. It was ck and tightly sealed. It also had some kind ofbel too small for Emma to be able to read.
She watched in excitement as Senior Kevin unpacked the box but it was closed shut by a metallic cat before the lid could open.
Everyone know who Tora was and they were all shocked to see her ce herself on top of the box with the weight of her whole body behind it. Even the club president was surprised at the sudden turn of events.
Things had gotten awkward suddenly and no one knew how to continue. They could not just pick Tora up and put her down. The mechanical cat would not allow that to happen and you would end up losing your fingers in the progress.
"Well, looks like the cat said no Kevin. We will have to try this another day."
The club president sounded sorry and amused by this turn of events. No one could have seen thising and they could not just call Horas over to take the cat away as well.
Senior Kevin bit his finger between his teeth in a nervous manner as he watched Tora challenge him with her ck eyes. He was sure that the mechanical cat knew what was in the box and she would let it be known.
If the news of him carrying such illegal substances leaked out then his reputation would be done for. And not only his reputation but Emma''s trust in him would also be shattered.
''I cannot let that happen. I need to get Emma out of here today so that we can start out ns. We need Howard Spencer to exchange himself for his friend.''
Since Kevin knew all this, he decided to take a risk.
No one was prepared when Kevin decided to clutch the box in front of him and throw Tora away. Shended on her legs and groaned toward Kevin but he had opened the box already.
"Hey Kevin, calm down. You will get another chance to - what the hell is that?"
Only those who were at the podium and close enough knew what happened. But Emma was far enough to not have seen the exact exchange that took ce. So, she was surprised when everyone gasped out in horror and began to run.
But the doors to this scent room had been closed off already. One by one, people began to fall. Emma only realized that it was due to this weird scent when it reached her but it was toote to do anything at that point.
"Emma, do not sleep, and don''t worry. I will help you out of here soon."
Senior Kevin''s voice was thest thing Emma heard. She knew she should not trust him but Emma had no idea why her mind was telling her this.
Kevin made his way across the room with a gas mask on his face. The scent he had released had made the room dark and foggy. It had also caused everyone else to fall asleep as well.
The only bad thing about it was that it had not worked on Tora since she was a mechanical beast. But the scent was enough to distract her and cause small hallucinations.
Once Kevin was done kidnapping Emma, he quickly got out of the room and into the hallway. Now he needed to leave the academy and his mission would be over.
He had sessfully managed to kidnap a person from this academy so he was sure to be promoted. And then he would be given enough resources to do what he wanted - open a perfume shop in the city.
Chapter 70 68: The Attack [Pt3]
Kevin knew how dangerous it was for him right now. He had to creep out with Emma in his arms and avoid Tora. the mechanical cat was a significant hindrance to his ns.
Nothing he had on him helped him out, but he also had a solution to this problem. He had anticipated this happening the second Horas had started sniffing around him a little too deeply.
And now, Kevin kept a small vial of poison on his person always. It was specially made to dull Tora''s senses.
A little poison in the air was all it took for the mechanical tiger to get sleepy and Kevin used this opportunity to make it out of the room and into the hallway.
The advantage of using a sleeping scent in the room was that no one knew what happened there and no one could report him to the authorities as well. This was a perfect crime he hadmitted and Kevin was proud of himself.
But he knew that he could not take Emma out of the academy right now. The next vehicle would leave in approximately two hours so Kevin needed to keep himself hidden for that long.
''Ugh, I hope I do not get found out in the meantime. I especially do not want to face Horas and his guns. It would hurt badly if he was to shoot me point nk.''
Kevin shivered as he remembered the feeling of having cold metal ced against his neck. He had experienced it once when he had been younger.
The ce where Horas''s gun had touched Kevin''s neck still tingled in a warning. Horas was a tough opponent but Kevin had to outsmart him right here and now. It was a question of his life and sanity after all.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
Horas made his way quickly across the campus and entered the room where the scent club was said to have met. The whole room stank of sleeping agents and it was easy to notice
The scent club''s room was a mess with bodies lying all over the ce. It had happened so fast that no one had been able to sound the emergency rm. Horas had to be the one to alert everyone about what happened here.
''Ugh, I am so not looking forward to exining what happened here. The people would have to figure it out while looking at the security logs in the meantime.''
Horas pressed the number on his system screen and it was instantly connected to Mark.
"Hello, who is speaking? Do you even see what time of the day it is? What do you want from me, you asshole?"
Mark sounded sleepy and agitated. It was his typical mood when he was too tired to care about anything and Horas refused to feel sorry for him.
It was Mark''s fault for sleeping during school hours and not during the night. And currently, Mark would have to help Horas out because this was an emergency.
"Mark, we do not have time for all this. You need to look at the security logs for the scent club''s meeting room and alert the authorities. I will be chasing after our culprit before they get too far away."
Horas quickly exined and closed off themunicator. On the other side, Mark pulled himself up so that he could get some work done. Horas hardly called him for mundane stuff so this was likely important.
The first thing Mark noticed was that the records were messed up and an amateur person had tried to hack and delete the security files.
They were easy enough to retrieve but the content caused Mark to sigh and rub his head.
"Oh god, what the hell? Why do all these people keep on appearing in such weird ces? Do they realize how much work I must do to track them through the abandoned corridors?"
Markined as he got busy with his work. He had already sent a message to Principal Marble and other teachers to inform them of what happened. Soon the security rm started to sound and students were sent back to their rooms.
Horas did not pay attention to any of that and made his way into the corridor. Tora was stumbling, still trying to shake her hazy headache off and Horas checked for the poison made specifically for her kind.
The smell of that poison was present in the air and Horas hissed in sympathy.
"I am sorry Tora. But we shall catch the bastard who made you ufortable and break his bones in the process as well. Now that I see it, Kevin did take Emma Dew with him. This is a case of kidnapping now."
In retrospect, Horas should not have spoken these words out aloud. But how was Horas supposed to know that there was someone else in the room with him?
And how was Horas supposed to know that this ''someone'' was the one and only Howard Spencer who had decided to chase after him?
As soon as Horas had finished making his observation, he had heard a gasp and then cursing. Horas had looked back sharply, only to notice Howard''s blue eyes looking back in shock and anger.
"You! Did you decide to follow me? You are not allowed in here so hurry up and go away."
Horas knew that the damage had been dealt already and all he could do was control the impact. But he still tried his best to calm Howard down and to reduce the impact. But Howard was not cooperating with him.
"What did you say about Emma? She has been kidnapped? By whom and why? More importantly, you know that was going to happen, right? That was why you decided to stick around this club room. Then why did you not stop this from happening."
Howard was getting angrier by the second. He wanted to control his feelings but he was not able to control himself. He had never lost control like this but the reason was Emma.
Oh god, what would happen to her now? Would the academy even help her out? At this rate, Howard would end up loosing his most important friend and that thought scared him a lot. Emma meant a lot to him in a ''sister'' sense and Howard would get her back.
Chapter 71 69: The Attack [Pt3]
Howard knew he was directing his anger at the wrong person. Horas had done nothing wrong and he was just trying to help Emma out. That was his wish and what he wanted to do.
But despite knowing this, Howard could not help butsh out at Horas anyway. He was the only adult who listened to Howard except for Jack. So, it meant a lot to Howard to have Horas on his side.
Most of all, Horas was the only one who could keep Howard updated and take him along to this rescue mission.
"Horas, you are going to save Emma, right? Then take me along as well. I promise not to be a burden and to keep up with you. I can also-"
Howard tried to bargain, presenting his advantages toe along with him. But deep-down Howard knew that Horas would not agree to take him along. He was a kid and a noisy one at that.
It was a shame that Horas did not know how capable Howard was actually and he would never know. But Howard did want to help Emma out.
On the other hand, Horas was tempted by Howard''s offer. He knew how well Howard performed under stressful situations. And going after Emma was something he had done in the original story.
It was also where Howard had his first run-in with Horas Spencer. So, Horas was tempted to let Howarde along with him.
''I guess it will not matter once things calm down. But I will need to instruct Howard to lie and alter records. Ugh, it will be a nightmare.''
But when Horas looked at the hopeful look in front of him, he could not help but give in.
"Alright kid, you cane with me for now. But keep yourself safe or I will teleport you back. Here, always keeps this device on you."
Horas gave Howard his teleportation emergency device. It would help Howard get Emma out if they were not in a dungeon.
Howard looked surprised at the sudden burst of trust he was being shown by Horas. Even Jack Hollow had not been this trusting toward him and Jack was someone he knew ever since he was a little kid.
The feeling of having known Horas came back but Howard pushed it back forcefully. He did not need unnecessary baggage on his mind right now.
Once things had settled down, the pair left to chase after Kevin. There was about an hour left before any vehicle would leave the Esper''s academy and it was time for them to make their move.
There were only so many ces where Kevin could have hidden and the abandoned corridor was Horas''s first bet.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
"Shit, they discovered what I did already? People would be after me shortly. This is a nightmare."
Kevinmented as he looked at his circumstances. The rm was still ringing in the building and his name was being called out as a result. He would not be able to leave easily now.
But luckily, Kevin knew it was a possibility so he had things prepared to help him out. He had a small mask that hid his identity and made him appear like a normal human. It was thetest technology the viins had prepared for him.
He wanted to bring Howard Spencer with him as well but Kevin did not have enough time to send a message to him. He would just have to lure the other child outter.
"-all vehicles going out of the Esper''s academy would be halted for today. -"
Usually, Kevin was not someone who paid attention to the announcement but he could not help but curse his luck with this one. The announcement caused all his ns to foil.
It seemed like Kevin would not be able to escape on public transport. Then he would have to do something daring - he would have to avail the necessary transport.
There were two vehicles that never stopped functioning - the garbage collector and the emergency vehicle. And out of these two, Kevin had a better chance of getting out in the garbage collector one.
"I never thought I would be thankful for the radio-active waste this school produces. I will be able to get out of here that way."
So, Kevin had a n now. He managed to steal a worker''s uniform and now it was time for him to trick the people working in the garbage disposal.
One would think that people would recognize an unfamiliar figure if they saw one. But you would be surprised to see how many people were not able to figure out that Kevin was not a part of their division.
And no one wanted to work with radio-active waste so it was easy for Kevin to get the keys to the disposal car from the front-desk worker. And then he was out and ready to head out.
He quickly loaded Emma into the car and was about to drive out when the doors closed. It was Horas who walked in with his target - Howard Spencer behind him. They walked directly over to his car and Kevin tensed up.
He wanted to reach out and kidnap Howard right here and now but he had to control himself. His connection to the viin''s side was quite fragile.
"Hey, unload the vehicle. We need to check for a run-away criminal in here."
Horas instructed and Kevin knew he would be discovered if the car was opened. He could not allow that to happen.
That was why he decided to throw the small capsule he had been given in case of ast emergency and Kevin decided to use it now. The capsule collided with the ground and broke.
A shrilledughter was heard in the air around the room before smoke started filling the room. A pair of greedyughing eyes shed across Kevin''s mind before he felt it melt away and go limp.
Kevin could feel power filling his mind and the surroundings of the parking changing.
[WARNING EVERYONE: A NEW DUNGEON HAD BEEN DETECTED IN FORMATION. EVERYONE, KINDLY BE ON STAND-BY FOR THE TIME BEING.]
''Ah, so this was the new experiment - an artificial dungeon? I have to say that I am impressed.''
Chapter 72 70: Whispers Of The Devil [Pt1]
[WARNING EVERYONE: A NEW DUNGEON HAS BEEN DETECTED INFORMATION. EVERYONE, KINDLY BE ON STANDBY FOR THE TIME BEING.]
The warning came out all of a sudden. No one in the parking expected such news and a stunned silence followed. Even the man who had created this dungeon looked shocked as soon as it happened.
He tried to flee with Emma but Howard noticed it.
"Hey, where are you going? Give Emma back to me right now."
Howard yelled as he followed after the fleeing man. He did not even take notice of the dungeon as his feet carried him behind the kidnapper. How dare he try and kidnap Emma in broad daylight.
Horas watched it all happen with an impassive face. He knew that his priorities had changed as soon as the dungeon appeared.
And it did not take long for hismunicator to buzz to life and a call toe in from Principal Marbel.
[Horas, I heard the news. But forget about the dungeon for the time being and save Emma Dew. Prioritize the safety of our students first and foremost.]
Principal Marble''s orders did not surprise Horas. This was the policy of the Esper''s academy and also the reason Horas was here in the first ce. So Horas observed the newly formed dungeon map.
It looked exactly like the school but with a lot of bonuses. Thankfully, the dungeon was small so Kevin would not have been able to run that far he had to have been in this dungeon somewhere.
"Well, time to get this dungeon bursting. I should call Tora over here now."
Tora''s sense of smell was amazing. Catching Kevin would be child''s y for Tora and Horas would also need to clear this dungeon to make it disappear.
But as soon as Horas stood up and started walking, he felt eyes watching his every move. He did not know why, but he felt ufortable in the dungeon. He could not shake off this feeling of being observed.
He tried looking around for cameras or other hidden objects but there was nothing in his sight. It was as if the dungeon itself was observing him.
''No, it''s likely nothing and I am too nervous to react to this ce. Do not let yourself get too nervous Horas. It will not be worth it in the end.''
Horas calmed himself down for the time being. There was no point in worrying about useless things. Especially when it looked like a trail had started somewhere in this dungeon.
It was time for Horas to ensure no one died in the aftermath of such a situation.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
Howard hurried to look for Emma''s kidnapper. His long legs aided him in the running around faster but he still did not know where Emma was. He only knew which way the kidnapper had run away with Emma.
''Darn, this is not good. Where will this dungeon lead me to?''
Howard did not know which way to go but he had a gut feeling to head toward the back side of the building and into the forest.
And since his instincts had yet to steer him wrong, Howard quickly decided to head toward the back forest. It was a deste and unkempt space. It also had a weird smell originating from the forest.
So Howard quickly put on his smelling mask, now reassured that he was on the right track. He would soone across senior Kevin and Emma.
Howard had only walked somewhat deeper into the forest when he felt something sharp brush past his cheek. He was able to dodge it in time but his cheek had a small cut as a result.
"Is this your n of winning against me? To attack me from the shadows? I did not know that senior was such a coward."
Howard taunted as he observed his surroundings. The ce where his previous attack hade from was empty. The senior had moved away in a sh. But that also indicated that he had put down Emma.
If that was the case then Howard did not need holding back. He could attack his senior with everything he had in hopes of defeating him.
He observed the next attack and threw his knife back toward the direction he was being attacked from. His knife collided with something metallic but Howard had a feeling the senior would have moved away again.
It was such a disadvantage for him to be stuck here while the senior could hide.
''But how is the senior hiding? My senses cannot detect any ability being used and my special skill is not alerting me about anything foul. So what the hell is going on? And why is the smell getting more and more rming?''
As soon as Howard asked this question, he had the answer as well. It was the scent that was messing with Howard and not allowing him to see the senior as well as Howard wanted to.
''So there is one solution for me - to not smell anything for the time being.''
As a precaution, Howard always carried a protection mask with him. He quickly took it out of his storage and put it in his mouth. The surroundings cleared a bit and the forest began to look hazy.
It was likely that Howard was not even in a forest, to begin with.
''Shit, I inhaled too much gas. It will take time for my senses to return to normal.''
Howard had noticed this so he took deep breaths of clean air to clear out the effects of Kevin''s gas. But Kevin had noticed what Howard was doing as well and the senior bit his lips.
He could not allow Howard to be free of his influence. He will not be able to win against the first-year-old.
''I need a strategy. I need this dungeon to help me out. I do not want to die yet.''
Kevin was desperate for someone toe and save him. All his options and his power had been exhausted thus far and now he had no idea what he should do anymore.
''If you want help, then shall I help you out? All you would need to do is to surrender to me. Once you do, I wille and save you.''
The voice whispered in Kevin''s ears and he agreed without a second thought.
Chapter 73 71: Whispers Of Devil [Pt2]
''If you want help, then shall I help you out? All you would need to do is to surrender to me. Once you do, I wille and save you.''
Those were the whispers of the devil. Kevin knew about this phenomenon but he had never expected to be the one to be faced with this situation.
Devils were the ultimate bad in this world and the reason these dungeons started appearing. They were supernatural entities that caused humans to die and civilizations to burn down.
Rumors were - the devil''s whisper was so enticing that no one could refute them. But not everyone could hear them, making defending against them even more impossible.
Until now, Kevin had not known what made these whispers so powerful that everyone who heard them fell victim to them. But now that he had heard one, he knew why no one had been able to refute such a tempting offer.
It was a life-and-death situation for him. If he did not take the devil''s hand then he would die. Or worse, be thrown into the academy''s prison and never be let out of the cold storage.
''No, I cannot die. Hey devil, I am ready to take your offer. Give me your power so that I can get out of here.''
In the end, Kevin was no exception to the rule of falling for the devil and ended up surrendering his body to the devil. The devil let out a cruelugh and Kevin felt his insides burn.
''Your soul is mine from this point onwards. I hope you live a long life, my dear contractor.''
Kevin clenched his fists as he felt his power burn him from the insides. It hurt to use but it was his only option of getting out of there alive. He was even willing to throw Emma away if it meant he was free to go.
"Where are you going? You will not be able to run away from me."
Howard Spencer had found Kevin and his junior decided to charge at Kevin with his sword skills. It was a dangerous situation and Kevin would have frozen up under normal circumstances.
But his current condition was different.
Power was coursing through Kevin''s body at an rming rate. It was tough for him to control it outright so he was unable to make his explosion softer.
Howard Spencer was lucky that he had someonee and save him in time. Otherwise, he would have ended up dead before he could reach Kevin.
"Be careful Howard. This man in front of us is no longer human. Who knows what the devil can make him do?"
Kevin tilted his head toward the side, no longer able to think properly. The power of the devil was influencing his thoughts and his actions. It was also making him feel and think about things he had never done before.
And because Kevin had such power now, he also noticed things that other humans were incapable of.
Laughter bubbled up in his throat as soon as he looked at Horas and the aura he carried. What a contradicting human this person was.
"You are like me. Why do you reject your gift?"
Kevin asked but his voice did note out clearly from his throat. It required too much concentration to speak and it hurt him as well. But Kevin still wanted to ask Horas this question.
He tried reaching out to his brethren, the ones marked with the scent of the devil but all Horas did was shoot back at him.
"Stay back and do note closer. You will be taken in for questioning and then detained for your crimes of kidnapping and scheming with the devil."
Horas held Kevin at gunpoint and it stunned Kevin a lot. The man in front of him was thest person who could use Kevin of being with the devil when the presence and the scent of the devil were much stronger on Horas.
But despite the signs, there was no actual indication of Horas being a devil carrier in him. He was behaving like a normal human being.
''Ah, I see. He is a marked human who does not know it yet. His devil has note for him and the contract has not been sighed yet.''
Kevin understood this all in a matter of minutes. He was able to avoid all the attacks with the help of his newfound powers and agility. He even used his new fire powers inbination with this scent to ignite the dungeon.
"Time for me to head back. Let us meet again, dear devil carrier."
Kevin called out to Horas, but his words went unnoticed once again. His opponent reached out toward him but Kevin allowed the dungeon to pull him into its depths.
With that, Kevin disappeared into the depths of the demon world he had once disliked with a passion. Now it would be his new home, the one ce that would ept me.
Both Howard and Horas watched as Kevin ran away and out of their grasp.
"W-What do we do? Is there a way to catch Senior Kevin? What about Emma? Did he take Emma with him?"
Howard questioned with a scared expression on his face. Howard could feel the younger one panicking in front of him and he ced a calming hand on Howard''s shoulder.
That did the trick and helped Howard calm down. But it was a temporary measure at any given time.
"Your friend should be around here since I doubt Kevin took her along to the demon world. We should look around for her now."
Howard finally looked distracted as he nodded and started to look around. Horas was less concerned about Emma now and more concerned about what happened back there. He was sure that Kevin had fallen to the devil''s whispers.
And as soon as he had disappeared, the dungeon had be very fragile. It would break if Horas put too much pressure on it now. But why had such a dungeon been made in the first ce?
Does this mean that artificial dungeons were possible to make for the viins as well? This was a new and unexpected development Horas had not seening.
Chapter 74 72: The Aftermath
Of course, things got hectic and troublesome as soon as the help came. The dungeon exploded from the inside due to the rise in pressure of all the involved parties and the search for Emma began.
Thankfully, Emma was found early into the search and no one was hurt. But a lot of questions had been raised as a result.
And as things stood, Horas found himself in front of Principal Marble once again. The principal looked ticked off and for good reasons.
"Horas, did you know that Kevin was a viin? Was that why you decided to appear in the scent club and ask for a search pass from me? You need to tell me these things before you go and do your own thing."
The principal sounded more tired than she was worried. She looked at Horas with a worried and angry expression which he did his best to ignore.
But even he was not able to ignore the smiling presence in the room known as Jack Hollow.
"Of course, he should have. But don''t you think you are being a little too much, Principal Marble? After all, you could not have done anything even if you know a child is a potential viin, right?"
Jack Hollow was right when he spoke. Under the rule, you could not hold a student responsible for things he did not do.
And a ''potential viin'' was not the same thing as a ''confirmed viin.'' So even if the school suspected someone, they could not take legal action against them.
"Shut up Jack Hollow. It is between myself and Horas here. There is no need for outsiders to interfere in our conversation."
Principal Marble snapped at Jack Hollow, not liking his interference even a single bit. He was a maniptive bastard and even now he should not be here.
But Principal Marble had been unable to kick him out and now here he was, sitting in this meeting to annoy her and pass remarks against her.
"Nowe on, Principal Marble, do not say things like this or you will break my heart. After all, do you not remember who was the one to introduce you to Horas in the first ce?"
Principal Marble fell quiet after that since she did not have a reply. Jack Hollow had been the one to hand Horas over to her and that was a fact. Jack was Horas''s first guardian after his parent''s death.
"Well, enough of this depression topic. By the way Horas, Howard told me a lot about you and what you did for him. I thought you wanted nothing to do with your brother now that you both have grown up."
Jack Hollow, like the bastard he was, tried to dig into a dead rtionship. But Keith was not going to give him the satisfaction.
"There is nothing to look at. I did nothing special for Howard. He is just a regr student to me and that is how it shall remain. Now, I shall take my leave for the time being."
Keith was not running away from Jack Hollow; he was doing a tactical retreat for the time being. Jack Hollow''s presence and his knowing eyes were a little too much for him right now.
From the second Keith had walked into the room, to the second he got out of there, the presence of Jack Hollow''s eyes did not lessen their intensity as they looked at him. It was a disaster in making for him.
He was all but out of the door when the rm on his system sounded. He was not the only one to get the message and it was Principal Marble who opened the actual message.
It had only one short line in it but it was enough toplicate matters two-fold. Keith could not believe what he was reading happened.
''Kevin, the kid you were looking for, has been found dead in the central za with a very impactful message inscribed on his body.''
The image was of Kevin with his eyes still open in horror and looking ahead. He had been impaled on the statue right in the middle of the town with his stomach gutted and a message was left behind - death to all traitors.
It was obvious who had done such a thing and Keith tried his hardest not to think about it too much.
"Well, looks like the viins got to him before we did. So, do you have any idea what this message means?"
Keith sighed, knowing he could no longer hide the more-important details from these two. He will have to tell them about the ''devil''s whisper'' that was at work here.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
"Hey Reed, are you sure it is alight to kill our spy like this? What if we made a mistake and Kevin did not make a deal with the devil?"
Reed looked at her foolishpanion who could not even detect the devilish energying out of Kevin''s body. She had to take a few steps back if she wanted to breathe.
The stench was just too acidic and strong for her taste.
''This is so bad. How did a devil get passed out defenses? How many of our people arepromised? I will have to carry out cleaning once again.''
Reed had tried her hardest to not let the devils in a human-filled organization and she had killed a lot of people because of this. Kevin was not an exception and he would serve as an example for the others.
"Hey, Reed¡wait¡answer me at least. How does one know about deals with the devil? Did you ever make one? Is that why you are so sensitive about such things? Geeze, no one talks about such things with me."
Reed looked at the annoying child running after her. He was the same age as Horas but she had not even bothered to know his name. He was currently running after her with all his might.
"You will know what a devil is and how dangerous it is once you face one. But I hope you never have to face a devil."
After all, devils were the highest forms of evil and they corrupted one''s soul and mind beyond saving.
Chapter 75 73: A New Day
The academy life resumed normally after that incident. No one was missing or stepped out of line for some time after the artificial dungeon had been dealt with.
The students had been told the truth and so had the association. The normal people were kept in the dark for the time being since there was nothing, they could do to better the situation.
Horas was the first person to volunteer for the petrol, knowing fully well that nothing would happen for some time now. He mostly wanted to get out of the tense meeting he was being forced to participate in.
Jack Hollow''s interested look was not something Horas wanted to be subjected to for the whole duration of the meeting.
The hallways were empty right now as sses were in full-swing. The day had finally changed and Horas enjoyed the peace and quiet he did not often get.
He walked toward the empty training grounds, only to realize that someone had beaten him intoing here.
Howard Spencer looked to be hard at work, honing his skills with a sword and the training program. It was evident how hard-working the protagonist of this world was and how much he had been conditioned to train.
Howard noticed him as soon as Horas stepped into the training room. But Howard did not stop his motion andpleted his set before pausing the timer.
"Horas, what brings you here today? I was not aware you wereing. Do you need something from me? Or, do you need to use the training facility?"
Howard questioned as he got ready to leave the training ground if Horas needed to use this ce. But Horas stopped him before he could make this decision.
"I am not here to take over the training grounds since I have no reason to do so. You should also use these training grounds since you are building up a foundation for your skills, right?"
Horas denied Howard''s offer and Howard shrugged in response. Now that Howard knew these training grounds were his, he went back to practice.
Horas watched Howard train for a few minutes before he asked the question, he wanted to ask Horas.
"So, how is Emma doing? I heard that she regained consciousness after some time but I did not have enough time to visit her unfortunately. I hope she is going alright."
Howard stopped doing his training as he looked at Horas with a surprised expression. But then it turned to one of understanding and evenfort. The look gave Horas goosebumps and he decided not to ask why Howard looked like that.
But he did not need to ask Howard anything because Howard ended up telling him what he thought anyway.
"Hey Horas, do you seriously like Emma? You were the first one to notice that she was missing and you were also the first to act. Now, I know you denied it before but I cannot help but wonder-"
Horas groaned as soon as he heard Howard''s words. He was not in the mood to be dealing with this bullshit.
"For thest time, I do not like Emma Dew like that. She is too young and small for me to like. Besides, the only reason I paid extra attention to the scent club was that I knew something fishy was going on there."
Horas exined the same thing for the fourth time that week. Howard was the only one who seemed to believe him outright and his expression turned thoughtful.
"So, you knew something was going to happen but you had no evidence to support your im. Now it makes sense why you took Tora to the meeting and disrupted so many of the scent club meetings."
Thankfully, Howard seemed to have epted his excuse and was no longer pestering Horas for liking Emma.
Now that the misunderstanding had been cleared, Howard felt lighter and he wanted to go back to his room. He was about to head out when Howard called him urgently.
"Hey Horas, you remember how you promised to do me a favor? Can I cash in on that right now?"
Horas had a feeling that if he agreed to this, then something troublesome would happen to him. But he could also not back down on his words so easily.
So, despite him knowing that it was a foolish decision on his part to agree to Howard, Horas did it anyway.
"Yes, I remember. Do you want to cash in on it now? Are you sure you will not regret it in the future?"
Horas asked one final time but he could see how determined Horas was about asking him a favor. If Horas did not agree, then he was afraid that Howard would use brute force to make him agree.
It was just better to save yourself the trouble and agree with what Howard wanted to do in the first ce.
"Yeah, I am sure I will not be disappointed if you did me a favor. I want you toe to a private party hosted by Jack Hollow. You know he is my guardian, right? So, I want you toe and visit my home."
''Nope! No way! We are not doing that at all!''
Horas''s mind was zing with sirens. It warned him to stay away and not to do Howard this favor. It was beyond terrible, it was dangerous.
But despite Horas''s better judgment, he decided to rip the band-aid off and decide to do what Howard wanted him to do this time. The time to regret his decision woulde.
"Fine, I will visit your home if you want me to. But after this, you will not be able to force me to do anything."
Horas rified but Howard''s expression clearly said, ''we''ll seeter'' which made Howard nervous. Howard was behaving too much like the ''entitled little brother'' Horas had heard about.
And all this was before Howard even knew they were rted. God forbid what would happen if Horas knew they were rted. Things would get weird suddenly.
''No, let us not think about it for now. Things would straighten themselves out all on their own.''
Horas prayed for this to happen but it was not a guarantee things would go his way.
Chapter 76 74: The Party [Pt1]
Horas had not wanted to apany Howard back to his home but he had made a promise he would not take back. He had to endure Howard''s look of admiration as well as Jack Hollow''s knowing grin.
''Why did Jack Hollow have toe and apany us inside? I would be so happy not to see this man again.''
But that was not possible and Horas had to endure this man''spany if he did not want to make Howard suspicious of his intentions.
"Jack, do you know that Horas is the youngest person ever to be appointed at Esper''s academy? He is talented as well as a good person."
Howard praised Horas and every word caused Jack to look more and more amused. It was humiliating for Horas to be praised this much so he quickly shut Howard''s mouth.
"That is enough for you. Jack, if we are done here then I should be heading back now."
Howard looked disappointed but Jack had a knowing grin on his face. This man was the reason everything had started for Horas and he was also the one who could ruin everything.
After all, if there was one person in this world who had legal evidence about Horas''s real lineage, it was Jack Hollow. And this man was very capable of using it and abusing that knowledge if he wanted to.
"I know all about Horas, Howard. After all, we have met before and even shared a ''deep'' connection."
Jack Hollow''s smile made Horas almost yell out ''unfortunately'' and ''it was not my idea. But he somehow managed to keep himself in check. It would not help him if he yed into Jack''s hands.
The disappointed look on Jack''s face assured Horas that he made the right decision to piss Jack off. It was such a satisfying feeling to deprive Jack of his amusement.
"O-Oh, you both have met before? And you both have worked together before as well? Then, why did I not hear about it? I am sure I would have seen Horas around if that was the case, right? Maybe I am not as observant as I believe myself to be."
Howard was beginning to break out now. His eyes were filled with suspicion and somehow Horas knew that if he did not curb Howard''s curiosity right now then he would be in troubleter.
"It was a long time ago and we only met two times. It was likely before you came to live with Jack. I think I was five once and seven the other time, right?"
Of course, Horas knew the exact age that his incidents had taken ce but he did not want to make a big deal about it. It was bad enough that he had to be associated with Jack Hollow in the first ce.
"I see. That makes much more sense. You see, Jack always said that I reminded him of someone and now I know he was talking about you. We even look alive with our ck hair and blue eyes."
Horas felt his heart skip a beat as soon as he heard Howard''s words.
Howard had no idea what kind of bomb he was dropping on Horse with his words and what the implications of this way. Jack''s amused expression was not helping Horas''s situation.
He could neither deny nor confirm Howard''s words. So, Horas kept quiet and hoped that Howard could not establish a connection in his words with what he knew.
And thankfully, Howard did not and that was the end of that conversation.
"He was so close to catching you in your lie, Horas. Are you sure you do not want to tell your brother the truth? Maybe it will work out better than you expect it to."
Jack whispered directly into Horas''s ears, startling him, and making him attack Jack. But the elder adventurer was easily able to dodge the clumsy attack Horas had made against him.
Howard missed it all as he kept on walking with a happy expression on his face. He was not concerned about what was happening behind his back. It was amusing and annoying for Horas to see.
"Well, here is the dining room. A few people will be here today but do not feel nervous. Most of them are nice and those who are not will be dealt with by me or Jack. You just need to enjoy yourself today."
Howard assured Horas before the doors opened. Everyone looked up at the new entry into the room and everyone was looking at Horas right now.
They all knew about him but it was their first time looking at him in person. As such, they were excited to know more about him and try to exploit Horas. Their gaze made Horas not want to be in the room any longer.
"Ensure it for now. If anyone bothers you too much thene and find me or Jack. Remember, smiling is the best way to piss someone off in this room."
What a depressing thing for Howard to say to him. But Horas knew that it was only because Howard had gone through a lot to be where he was right now.
These people had tried to prey on Howard when he was younger and as a result, he had learned how to take care of such pests. Horas was the one who wrote all this so he was familiar with the nature of these adventurers.
''Most of them are rotten to the core and could be considered viins if they were not registered with the government, I am sorry for this world and the people who live in it. They must experience some shitty things.''
Sometimes, Horas did feel sorry for all these people he had created but never gotten to pay attention to.
But then an arm rested on his shoulder and every nice feeling Horas was feeling evaporated into dust and was reced by annoyance.
"Call for me if you are in a bind. Do not try to take on these people by yourself or you will be buried by them when the timees. And do not underestimate anyone because they look weak. This is a strong-eat-weak world out here."
Jack warned Horas with an awfully serious voice. And Horas found himself listening to it for a change.
Chapter 77 75: The Party [Pt2]
?
Horas had not considered Jack¡¯s warning as effective before but as soon as he had stepped into the room all alone, he felt eyes looking him up and down. They were judging his worth and calcting how much he would sell for
It was obvious that these people did not see Horas as anything more than an investment they could benefit from.
¡°Do not worry. You will get used to these eyes soon enough. I was put off by them when I first attended a party as well.¡±
Howard assured Horas as he walked past him. Howard looked like he was in his natural habit as he moved from table to table.
Those who knew him as a ¡®Spencer¡¯ were extremely friendly to him and his future self. They knew he was the sessor of two great adventurers and Howard would be a great person as well.
¡°Pss, Horas. Come here and I will shield you for some time.¡±
Horas looked up with a sharp look in his eyes. The voice calling for him was familiar and he followed it without thinking much.
A familiar face came into Horas¡¯s sight and he had a feeling he knew this person. But his brain was drawing up a nk when he tried to connect the face to a name.
¡°You forgot who I am again, right? Why does it always happen to you? I swear, you will forget your face if you are not able to see yourself for a few months.¡±
The man sighed and Horas tried his hardest not tough his words off. They sounded serious and this man also spoke as if he knew Horas very well. And there were not a lot of people who fitted the bill in Horas¡¯s words.
¡°Horas, I am Lucas. Do you remember who I am now? I am sure you met Nesh recently so you should also remember who I am now.¡±
Lucas, ah yes. Now that Horas had a name, he could remember who this man was.
¡°Sorry for forgetting what you looked like Lucas. I was just under a little stress these past few months and it got to me suddenly. So, I heard that you went into research instead of being an adventurer. How is it turning out for you.¡±
Usually, Horas did not bother making small talk. He preferred silence over the sound of someone¡¯s voice. But he decided to try this time for his elder friend.
He was curious to know what happened to Lucas now that he was out of the adventurer¡¯s association. It would be worth it to know for future events and nning. And maybe, just maybe, Horas would be able to use him for his means.
¡°Ah, nothing much. We were not doing anything at first but then we got a weird case recently. I think you will be more aware of this than I am at the current moment. It is about the AD.¡±
It took Horas a minute to realize what ¡®AD¡¯ meant but once it registered, Horas was sure it referred to an Artificial Dungeon. So, the information had been passed on already.
¡°I know about that case. So, what do you think is causing this phenomenon to ur? Was your department able to find anything?¡±
As a fellow researcher, Horas was interested in this case. He wanted to know more about the case he was a part of. But it did not seem like Lucas could tell him more for the time being.
¡°I am sorry but it is ssified information I cannot tell you about. Especially not outside of myb and in a public setting. If you are interested, then why don¡¯t youe and visit me in thebs soon?¡±
Lucas offered Horas a visit as well as his number. Horas took both and he knew he would be visiting thebs soon.
Once Lucas left Horas alone, it was time for the actual hyenas in the room to try and get him on their side. He was no longer a friend but a chess piece for the people surrounding him.
¡°Horas, I heard that you are an instructor at the Esper¡¯s academy and the youngest one at that. It is nice to meet you today.¡±
¡°Ah, aren¡¯t you the youngest person to enter and graduate from the Esper¡¯s academy? I always wanted to meet you. How about joining my guild?¡±
¡°No way. I am the leader of one of the biggest guilds out there. The kid should join me.¡±
People were fighting over him and Horas felt ufortable. He never liked it when he was the center of attention but it was impossible for him to leave this circle of people now. He was surrounded by all sides.
¡®If only I could use my powers and make them all backdown. Why is diplomacy such a difficult task?¡¯
Horas asked himself as he was being squeezed by all sides. These people did not care about him and what he wanted, they just wanted to one-up the others around them. No one was paying attention to what Horas was doing.
And since that was the case, Horas decided to use these people and theirck of attention to get out of their circle. He slowly wiggled his way-out crowd and into a more secluded corner. And only then was he finally able to breathe.
¡®Finally, some fucking peace and quiet. I felt like I was dying when those people were surrounding me.¡¯
Horas finally took a sigh of relief and rxed his body. He was alone in the corner and he liked it that was all alone-
¡°Hey, are you alright? It looks like you were overwhelmed by all the craziness you saw today. Do not mind it all since people are excited to see you.¡±
-he thought he was all alone in his corner. But it turned out not to be the case. There was someone else standing in the shadows of the corner and Horas had not noticed her before.
But now that he had, Horas had to wonder how he missed the vice-leader of the second most powerful guild in this world right now.
¡®Fuck my life.¡¯
______________________
I''ll be taking a break. See you next month.
Chapter 78 76: The Party [Pt3]
?
There were many guilds in this world. Some were very advanced and important ones that Horas had written in detail while others were just ¡®no-named¡¯ fodder for his future writing.
And one of the guilds he had written in detail about was ¡®White Stone,¡¯ the second most powerful guild and the guild established by Duke Verteramo¡¯s father. It was a well-reputed guild but was never able to make it to no 1 on the rankings.
Since it was such an important guild, it had many important characters. And among them, the vice leader of the guild, Saint Nics also known as the Herald of Light was the most famous.
In many ways, she was even more well-known than the president of the guild himself.
What Horas did know about her was that she was Duke Verteramo¡¯s mother and a healer unlike any other. She was hailed as the second-best in the field after his mother.
¡°It is an honor to meet Saint Nics here at this party. And do not worry because I will gather myself in a second. It was all just a little overwhelming in the heat of the moment.¡±
Horas was a little awkward while talking with Saint Nics. She was someone he had written online in the original novel.
¡®A rival to Howard Spencer¡¯s mother and a healer of godly caliber.¡¯
But looking at her like this and observing her was a different experience Keith did not know how to exin.
He was also afraid that his well-kept secret would be brought to light if he was alone too long with this woman. She was a friend of his mother and someone who knew Horas when he was young.
He was sure he had seen her around his house once or twice before.
¡°You know, when you were young everyone thought you would turn out to be like your father, both in looks and personality. But you turned out to be like your mother instead. I have to say that I prefer it.¡±
¡°Especially since your brother turned out to be so much like your father instead. Don¡¯t you think it is a curious coincidence?¡±
Keith almost choked on the drink in his hand. This conversation was beginning to make him ufortable and he no longer wanted to have it.
At the same time, he also could not leave first since he was younger. And seniority mattered in the adventurermunity. Keith could not be this rude to the elderdy standing near him.
¡°Oh, I can see that I am making you ufortable. I know how tough it is to try and forget people who were important to you and how effective it is to not think about them.¡±
¡°But you should try not to run away from your past. He is your brother and he does not even know it. Don¡¯t you feel sorry for him?¡±
Saint Nics pointed toward Howard who looked happy to be going between people and talking with them. But despite this, there was a sadness on his face that made anyone notice him.
Horas¡¯s heart went out toward Howard but he also needed to remind himself that he was not Horas¡¯s brother. He was all but a stranger upying the space of a dear person.
¡°He will be happier without me around. The trails Howard had to go through will be his own. And I see no reason to disrupt his current life.¡± I think you should take a look at
Howard was bullshitting his way through this conversation. He was making it all about Howard when it was about himself.
The one who did not want to get attacked was Howard. So, he was doing his best to keep his distance from everyone in this world. And it was evident in the way he spoke and the way he acted.
¡°Miss Saint Nics, it is nice to meet you again. Did Duke note with you? He said that he was going toe.¡±
Howard had finally spotted Howard and Saint Nics talking and decided that it was the perfect opportunity to make himself known. He bounced over to the group with light footsteps.
¡°Oh, he was saying that he wanted toe but his father decided to take him in a dungeon raid instead. Something, I do not know what goes on in my husband¡¯s mind.¡±
Saint Nics changed her tone from cautious to friendly in a matter of seconds. Horas could see how close she was to Howard and he suddenly felt like he knew why she had tried to talk to him.
Saint Nics considered Howard like her own kid. She was someone who had seen Howard ever since he was a kid and looked after him.
¡°I think I should look around for now. I also need another drink and-¡±
¡°Ah, I know. Howard, your instructor, said that he liked flowers and nts. Why do not you take him along and show him the greenhouse? I am sure it will be a good experience.¡±
Somehow, Keith wanted to run away as soon as he heard the ¡®greenhouse.¡¯ Nothing good ever came out of visiting the greenhouse for him.
So, this time, Keith wanted to avoid heading to a greenhouse. He tried to convey the same to Howard and he seemed to get it in an instant.
¡°Saint Nics, I don¡¯t think that is a -¡±
¡°Nonsense. You kids need to bond with greenery more at your age. Now hurry up and go before someone spots you and you miss your chance.¡±
Since Saint Nics was speaking so passionately, Howard was not able to refuse her as well. He had no choice but to follow through with her wishes. Horas was also ufortable with this arrangement.
So as soon as they reached the hallway, Horas decided to talk Howard out of visiting the greenhouse.
¡°You know, we do not have to visit the greenhouse. We can go anywhere else and-¡±
¡°No, I do not think we have a choice. Saint Nics said to go to the greenhouse so there is where we will be going. She will know if he does not go to the greenhouse and I do not want to disappoint her.¡±
Howard spoke with a calm tone and Horas suddenly remembered the friendly smile Saint Nics had. And he felt his back shudder in an unexinable fear as he remembered it.
¡°Yeah, maybe you are right. Let us get this over with.¡±
Chapter 79 Ch 77: Of Course! Its A Green House [Pt1]
?
The greenhouse in the vi was well-maintained. It was a private ce not many could step foot in. And if Horas had a choice, he would instead not step foot in here too.
¡°Let us go in. I will show you some of the exotic species we keep here. Jack brings back a few nts every time he goes into a dungeon. Most of them die due to a suddenly changing environment. Some do manage to thrive and adapt¡a little too well if you ask me.¡±
Howard seemed to be enjoying his time in the greenhouse. He seemed used toing to her and dodging the leaves and other parts.
Seeing the branches leaning down to touch Horas would have been a little disturbing if he was not used to it due to the dungeon environment. But since that was not the case, Horas was able to avoid the veins reaching out for him.
Ge recognized a lot of nts from the low-leveled dungeon. It would even be fair to call them ¡®creatures¡¯ instead of nts at this point.
¡°What is wrong? You look a little tense. You should rx since there is nothing dangerous in this greenhouse. Well, mostly nothing dangerous.¡±
Howard quickly corrected his words as he watched a nt trying its best to reach out toward him. He quickly ducked it but the nt did not give up.
In the end, Horas could not keep on watching this pathetic attempt of getting away from Howard¡¯s side and ended up shooting the nt. It backed away soon after that.
¡°Ah, sorry for making you rescue me. These nts are not usually this excited to see me. Maybe it is because you are here today.¡±
Somehow, Horas very much doubted these words. It was likely because an event was about to take ce and that was what made these nts so excited.
¡°Yeah well, my track record with greenhouse has not been so pleasant in recent days so I am tense these days. I hope you understand what I am trying to say.¡±
Howard likely did not know what Horas meant but he pretended like he did and remained quiet. Horas could feel the awkwardness seeping out into the air after their encounter.
And as it always happened with Horas, things decided to go wrong when it did not look like they could go wrong. The nts decided they were done being ignored and decided to rebel.
One reached out toward Horas and then another and then another until he was surrounded by all the nts. But the nts were far from being done.
They decided they wanted to catch Horas and Howard. The younger was agile and experienced with the nts so he was able to get out of the way. But Horas did not have the same experience as the nt.
He had not expected the nt to rush at him as it did and it hit Horas directly in the chest. It hurt like hell but Horas could only cough in return and try to stand up.
¡®Fuck, I knew things were going to turn out like this sooner orter. I should have never expected anything else from this greenhouse.¡¯
Horas had known this or something simr would happen to him. But this was on the tamer sidepared to what he had experienced until now. A few rouge nts were easy to deal with. I think you should take a look at
¡°Oh shit. The nts are going wild. Now instructor Horas, I want you to not panic but there is an A-grade nt monster in here somewhere. Usually, we keep it under lock and key but I have a feeling that it somehow escaped its confinement.¡±
Horas wanted to swear once he heard what Howard had said to him. Of course, things would not be as easy as he had expected them to be. Why would he think otherwise?
¡®Ugh, I should have expected things to go south as soon as I entered the greenhouse. I should have learned by now that nts do not agree with me.¡¯
And since Horas was mentally prepared, he was not surprised once he saw the huge blooming shrub appear in front of him.
It was the so-called ¡®A-grade¡¯ nt monster Horas recognized. But he had never fought it before so he did not know how to take care of it.
¡°Ugh, things just got a lot moreplicated than before. So, any idea how we can deal with that thing?¡±
Howard asked as he pointed toward the nt in front of him. It looked a lot angrier than before and Horas had a sinking feeling in his stomach that it was only going to get angrier from here on.
They needed to decimate the nt until nothing remained of it if they wanted to live.
¡°Well, do you think Jack Hollow will mind if we kill his nt? It does not look like we have much of a choice in this matter.¡±
Horas pointed out as he readied his gun and fired a few shots. The nt cried out in pain before the leaf that had been shot regenerated in a matter of seconds. The nt let out a cry at the injury it had sustained.
¡°Ugh, I do not think we have much of a choice in this matter. If we do not kill it now, then it would surely kill us all.¡±
Howard assured as he dodged the attack of the nt monster. It is veins were leaving behind marks on the floor and it was not causing too much damage.
Horas was not a designer but even he could tell how costly the floor and other essories in the greenhouse were. This incident would cause a huge money loss for Jack.
¡°I know of a way to get the nt under control. There is a sleeping gas tank made especially for the nt-based monsters we keep here. If we can lure this thing toward the tank, then I am sure we will be safe.¡±
Howard suggested as he dodged another attack. The kid was too well-adjusted to his current circumstances.
¡°Alright, I got it. I will act as bait while you go and take care of the other matter. Good luck in surviving.¡±
Horas¡¯s joking words did not sound as joking as he hoped them to be. And he prayed that nothing happened to Howard to survive this fight as well.
Chapter 80 Ch 78: Of Course! Its A Green House [Pt2]
?
Howard had no idea how an A-rank nt-based monster had managed to escape the confinements of its enclosure. But the monster had managed to escape nheless.
And now it was up to him and Horas to take care of the situation to ensure people did not suffer because of this breakout. And to do so, Howard needed to y his role and find the gas that was hidden in the greenhouse.
Horas was doing a good job of attracting the monster¡¯s attention and the monster also followed Horas with a vengeful expression. They were both focused on each other.
¡°Hmm, where did Jack hide that gas? I remember him putting it in this cab.¡±
Howard whispered as he pulled the cab doors open. They banged as they opened but nothing was broken or fell from inside the cab. It was calm and clear for him to look inside.
He tried to remember which bottle the sleeping gas was in but all he remembered was that it was a red container.
Which made things a lot more convenient that he wanted to give his memory credit for. There was only one red vial in the cab. So naturally, it had to be the sleeping gas container.
¡°Horas, I found the container. Hold your nose close because the gas is too strong. You might fall asleep as well.¡±
Howard warned as he threw the red vial toward the nt monster. The monster was startled and decided to il around. In his haste to get away, it managed to break the vial and the contents spilled all around him.
The gas spread faster than Horas had anticipated it to spread. He had to clog his nose to stop the gas from spreading into his mind. It was too sweet and nauseating for him to befortable inhaling.
Horas seemed to be having the same problem but he had a filter mask on. That helped him tremendously.
The huge nt-based monster iled around for a bit longer before it went limp. The pair finally had enough room to breathe out easily again.
¡°Well, looks like I will have to make a report about this and ask someone to clean our mess up. I am so sorry you had to go through such an experience because of me. I will make sure this never happens again.¡±
Howard bowed in front of Horas with an apologetic expression. He had made light of this situation when it could have gotten dangerous quickly.
He was just thankful that the older had not gotten hurt or even looked angry.
¡°It is alright. I am not angry at you or what happened. I knew this was going to happen as soon as I heard we were going to a greenhouse. This ce has never sat well with me in the past or the future. d to see that it was the case this time as well.¡±
Horas made light of this situation but they all knew what truly would have happened had things gone a little differently.
People would have ended up dead. Not only them but the others in this building as well. It was a miracle that no one had died yet.
¡°O-Oh! Do things like this happen often to you? This might be the first time I have heard of such a thing.¡± I think you should take a look at
Horas looked at Howard. The younger looked excited to know more about Horas and it was not such a bad feeling to be looked at with such morbid and open curiosity. Horas was happy to share a little more.
¡°Well, most of the time the danger is known already so I do not have a problem. But asionally, people end up hiding in the greenhouse because it has a lot of nts and hidden spaces. It is a mess to clean up.¡±
Horas spoke with an almost -fond expression on his face. His eyes were also nk. Almost as if they were remembering something from the far past.
¡°Ah, I also heard that the culprit from the scent club stole goods from the greenhouse. That is another point against the greenhouse, right?¡±
Howard joked right back with Horas and his expression eased out.
Horas was about to say more when the door to the greenhouse opened and Jack Hollow walked in. He did not look angry, but he did look a little annoyed at being made toe down with such urgency.
He looked at the mess that was made in front of him and sighed with an annoyed expression.
¡°I should have known that things would not remain normal around here with both of you around. Both of you are huge trouble mas.¡±
Jack sighed as he walked toward the nt. He quickly checked up on it, only to find that it was asleep. His million-dor investment had not gone to waste.
But more than that, Howard had gotten to experience fighting an A-ss monster. It was a win-win in Jack¡¯s book.
¡°W-Well, this was not supposed to happen. The thing is¡.¡±
Howard quickly summarized what had happened and Jack had a thoughtful expression on his face. His expression did not betray what he had been thinking this whole time.
Once Howard was finished was when Jack decided to add his own words.
¡°I am sure Saint Nics is not behind this at least. She had no reason to target you two and she is also too high-profiled to have made such an obvious mistake.¡±
Horas nodded in understanding. This was the conclusion he had arrived at as well. Saint Nics was being framed by someone right now and that someone knew Horas and Howard quite well. They also liked knew that Saint Nics would ask them to visit the greenhouse.
But think as Horas might, he could not think of anyone who would fit the criteria he had set up for himself.
¡°Do not worry, I will look around for what happened and keep you kids updated about the same. There is no need for you to worry about this problem.¡±
For the first time, Jack Hollow¡¯s back looked reliable to Horas. But he knew it was all because of Howard¡¯s involvement and nothing more. It was not because of Horas Spencer or any rted stuff.
Chapter 81 Ch 79: No Conclusion Was Reached [Pt1]
?
¡°Do not worry, I will look around for what happened and keep you kids updated about the same. There is no need for you to worry about this problem.¡±
This was what Jack Hollow promised Horas and Howard. But once he had begun to look around for evidence, there had not been much he had been able to find. Especially the greenhouse looked clean and not tampered with.
¡°Boss. We just had a look around and we were not able to find anything that would indicate foul y. I am afraid that we will have to give up for the time being. The guests are getting suspicious of our intentions now.¡±
Jack sighed, knowing fully well that he had no choice but to give up for now. The guests were being detained for the time being but they would begin to ask questions soon.
Especially those from well-known guilds would cause trouble for Jack¡¯s guild if he was not careful in handling them.
¡°Alright, I understand. Tell them that they can leave for today but we might need to call them in again soon. Meanwhile, announce that we found a thief in the tower and that was why we held them back.¡±
Jack knew that the truth could not be hidden away forever so he needed to forever with how he handled things. But at the same time, he also could not admit that someone had managed to set his tower off in such a manner.
So, the onlypromise was to reveal a half-truth that would blend the things just enough to allow Jack to tell what happened without the real facts.
Most people who not look too deeply into what happened. And those who did, they would be dealt with alone by him in a dark corner of the world.
After all, it was impossible to run and hide from him.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡.
¡°Do not worry too much about what happened. Jack will have an answer for us soon so you do not need to look so grim. The people who snuck in would not have any chance to harm us anymore.¡±
Howard tried to assure Horas but his words fell on t ears. Horas was not interested in what Jack would discover.
After all, it was already toote and the culprit must have run away long ago. There was no trace of evidence that Jack would be able to find now.
¡°Look, he is here. Let us hear what Jack must tell us, alright?¡±
Howard dragged Horas behind him to Jack¡¯s current position. The guests had decided to go home one by one as soon as the announcement had been made.
Now only a handful of people were left in the hallway and it was convenient to get to Jack.
Horas took one look at Jack¡¯s face and he knew that Jack had not found anything. It had been given but it still caused Horas to look disappointed.
¡°Jack, what did you find? Do you know the reason that the nt monster went berserk? Is that something to do with one of our guests? Or was it something else?¡± I think you should take a look at
Howard was being a little too eager and his openness was not helping things remain quiet. As such, Horas had to take matters into his hand.
As much as he did not want to stop Howard from asking these questions, he had to interfere and ce a hand on top of Howard¡¯s mouth so that he could remain quiet.
¡°That will be enough. I am sure Jack will tell us what he needs to tell us. Privately.¡±
Jack sent Horas a grateful look that crept Horas out. But he somehow maintained his calm and heard Jack out.
¡°You both shoulde to the back room before you hear what I have to say. And Howard, contain your excitement. I do not want to let my secrets be known in the open.¡±
Howard opened his mouth, only to quickly close it again once he realized what he had been about to say and where. A sheepish looked followed his almost-blunder and Horas sighed in relief.
But it was nothingpared to how Jack looked right now. He ushered the pair into the side room and then turned his serious look toward them both.
¡°The fact that you are calling us in a separate room can only mean that you were not able to find the real culprit. It is a shame but I guess things like this happen.¡±
Horas confirmed as soon as the door closed behind him. Howard took in a deep and sharp breath, realizing what a blunder he had been about to make before.
¡°You are right. I was not able to find the culprit behind the attack, nor was I able to find the mastermind. The crime scene was too clean. A little ¡®too clean¡¯ for my liking.¡±
Jack confirmed Horas¡¯s suspicions. Someone had nned this attack.
¡°That reminds me. The one who asked Howard to show me the greenhouse was Saint Nics. But I doubt she is involved with the viins. So maybe we are looking at all of this from the wrong angle.¡±
Horas admitted and Jack looked rmed suddenly. The involvement of an adventurer, especially such a high-profile one as Saint Nics was a piece of big news. But as Horas had said, that seemed almost impossible to happen.
¡°Ugh, thisplicates things. We will need to inform Saint Nics and her guild of what happened and take measures for the same. Horas, Howard, you both go back to the academy for now. I will see you bothter.¡±
It looked like Jack was fighting a migraine as he tried to absorb what he had just heard from Horas.
When it looked, like Howard was going toin, Horas put a hand on his shoulder and dragged him outside. There was no need to stress Jack out even more than he already was.
¡°We understand that you need time to look more into this case. I will take Howard back to the academy for now and wait for the news toe.¡±
Howard fell quiet once he was dragged out of the room. But Horas knew that Howard was determined to get to the end of this attack at all costs.
Chapter 82 Ch 80: No Conclusion Was Reached [Pt2]
?
Horas returned to the academy once Jack was finished making preparation. He had dragged Howard back to the academy as well, even when the younger had not wanted toe.
So obviously, the younger had tried ignoring Horas and pretending like he was mad at Horas. But he had given up soon and came back to do what he did best - annoy Horas.
¡°So, do you have any idea who could be behind the attack? Do you think someone wants to frame Duke¡¯s mother? Or do they have another motive? What about-¡±
Howard had not stopped asking questions as soon as the car started moving. Horas was thankful that the car was soundproof so no one could hear Howard talking.
¡°I think we need to keep our mouths shut for now and allow things to happen as they are happening. Jack will inform us about what he found sooner orter.¡±
Well, that was not true. There was a solid chance that Jack would never tell them what he found and they would be left in the dark. But Horas had a feeling Jack would not do that to him.
And just because of this feeling, Horas was able to maintain his confidence and trust in the elder.
¡°By the way Howard, you do know that you need to pretend like you know nothing once we reach the academy, right? You cannot talk about what happened to anyone, not even your friends, alright?¡±
Horas stressed these words to Howard. Knowing Howard, the news of the incident would reach everyone by tomorrow.
So, Horas needed to take precautions to ensure that did not happen. And to do that, he needed Howard to be aware that this was a possibility.
¡°Not telling anyone what happened? Alright, I got it. I will keep this a secret from everyone, even Emma for now.¡±
Thankfully, Howard did not ask useless questions and got off the car as soon as they reached the academy. It fell on Horas to thank their driver and finish other necessities.
¡°Do not worry about it. Young master Howard is a little excited to be back here and it is nice to see him this excited about anything. I do not think I have seen little Master as excited for anything in my life before.¡±
The driver waved Horas¡¯s concerns off and conveyed that he was used to Howard¡¯s behavior quite well.
Horas was about to go back when the driver opened his window and took a searching look at his face. It felt like the man could see through his soul if he tried hard enough.
¡°You! You look a lot like Master Howard. Do you have some kind of rtionship with his family or-¡±
¡°It is a coincidence. I am sure you are tired right now and that is why you are saying such ridiculous things. There is no way I am rted to Howard.¡±
Horas should not be denying this small conversation so harshly but he did not want to unnecessarily me the sparks of any rumors. He did not know how trustworthy this driver was but he must be quite highly regarded by Jack.
Not only had he been left rtively alone with Howard, but he had also been given enough authority to take Jack¡¯s beloved cars out on the ride. It was such a big leap of faith for someone like Jack. I think you should take a look at
The driver looked startled by Horas¡¯s sudden defense and he looked taken aback as well. The driver had expected to be denied the truth, but he had not expected to be shut down this hard.
But somehow, this strong denial caused the driver to believe that what he had thought initially was correct. This man, Horas was somehow connected to his young master but he did not want to reveal how or why.
And if that was the case, then the driver would not push forward for the young man to reveal his secrets. Some things were better left unsaid than to be aired out in the open.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
Horas¡¯s heart was still beating harshly as he walked away from the car. He had not expected anyone to ask him if he and Howard were rted. That was why, the harsh answers poured out of his mouth one after another.
In the end, he was not even able to make any satisfying denials to the driver¡¯s questions. He was also sure that he had given himself away.
¡®Let us not think too much about it. Jack will take care of any problem his people cause anyway so I do not need to worry.¡¯
Horas did not want to trust Jack too much but he was not sure if he had enough mental power left inside himself to care at this point. He was too tired and worn out anyway.
¡°Instructor Horas, are you on your way to see the Headmaster Marble? She is out right now so you might want to dy your visit.¡±
Horas was stopped before he could enter the teacher¡¯s wing by a student. He did not even have to ask how or why the student knew he was here to meet Principal Marble.
It was a well-known fact that if Horas was going to step into the teacher¡¯s wing, there was an 80% chance he was going to the principal¡¯s office.
¡®Well, that is great. This was just what I needed on top of everything else I am going through.¡¯
Horas sighed as he nodded to the kid¡¯s question. He did not care much for what would happen next but he did decide to go back to his room and rest.
He passed through the hallway he always took but there was something wrong with it. There was a tense feeling in the air that made Horas¡¯s insides turn in a weird way. Something was urging him to hurry up and reach his room.
He instantly opened the door to his shared apartment and the ck of his surroundings was reflected in his eyes. It was a dark and tangly mess that could not be contained.
¡°Mark! Mark, what is this? What did you do?¡±
Horas questioned as he tried to navigate his way through the mess. But try as he might, he was not able to find any solid leads.
Chapter 83 81: The Oozing Filth [Pt1]
?
¡°Mark! Mark, what is this? What did you do?¡±
Horas yelled as he tried to light a fire around him. But the natural light of the fire could not prate the darkness of this fog. It was clear that this fog was not something natural but rather manmade and dangerous.
As such, there was a protocol to follow and Horas should seal this ce up until it was checked out but he wanted to leave Mark in here for a short time.
He did not know if Mark had run away already or not but Mark was not replying to him. Anything could have happened to him in such a situation.
¡®I should put a request for backup while I go and clear out this thing. I do not know how long it will take to clear all this oozing filth from my end.¡¯
Horas did not have any cleaning equipment but he did have a lot of time and effort on his part. He needed to get Mark out as soon as he possibly could.
¡°Mark, where are you?¡±
Horas asked as he moved through theb. He knew theyout well but he still ended up bumping into a lot of things on his way to look around. His system was also drawing up a nk currently.
There was a static glow in the air that felt unnatural. The more Horas observed it, the more he was sure that this was an immature dungeon.
And yet, his system did not categorize this ce as a dungeon. It considered it as a ¡®grey zone.¡¯ It was neither a reality nor a dungeon. In short, the system did not know what this ce was.
Horas had walked quite far into the ce and he knew he should be hitting a wall soon enough. He was prepared when a solid mass appeared in front of him. He felt around for the wall until he was able to find the door.
Horas almost stumbled when he walked through the room. Contrary to his belief, the door to the connected room was wide open and allowed Horas to walk through quite easily. He was in another room before he knew it.
Something metallic touched Horas¡¯s ankle and he tried not to jump. But when that touch traveled up his leg, Horas knew something was wrong.
The slithering feeling was apanied by the metallic sound of joints moving and the familiarity of a skill made Horas feel better and much more rxed than before.
¡°Tora, you scared me. Are you a snake right now? You should warn me before you are going to pull stunts like this.¡±
Horas calmed down his racing heart. It had been beating a mile per second for some time now. He was not sure how if he was alright or not.
But what Horas did know was that Tora was with him. It left one less thing he had to look around. But that still did not answer his question of what happened here.
Horas and Tora shared a lot of things but memories were not one of them. So, Horas could not see what Tora saw and know where Mark was. I think you should take a look at
Horas walked around for a little bit more before he decided to retreat. An expert dispeller would be needed to clear out this ce. And Mark would have to endure until then.
He was all but out of the dark ce when something fleshy grasped his leg. It was sticky and gave Horas a gross feeling. He wanted to shake off that touch and hide away when he stopped himself short.
¡®A touch. This touch feels human. Do I not know this touch?¡¯
It was because of these thoughts that Horas stopped short and decided to give the other person benefit of the doubt. He grasped the familiar hand into his own and pulled the man up.
¡°H-Horas, take me outside. I do not think I am feeling so good.¡±
The familiar-sounding voice belonged to no one other than Mark. Horas breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled the other man out of the danger zone. He was so d that he had been able to do so.
It was not easy to carry a fully-grown adult outside a researchb. And in Mark¡¯s case, he just looked skinny but he was quite heavy to carry. Horas had a hard time pulling him out.
By the time Horas made it out, the backup squad had arrived as well and they were busy purifying the ck smoke.
Horas had been right in this assumption to think that this was not any ordinary smoke but the whisps of corruption that often emerged from the dungeon after it was cleared up. But Horas did not know what it was doing here.
¡°So, Mark, do you care to exin what is going on here? Why was there dungeon filth in our quarters? And why were you just lying inside and waiting to be poisoned?¡±
Horas wanted to be understanding but he was just angry. His heart had still not calmed down and his body was heating up as a result. He was trying too hard to calm down but it was proving to be more and more difficult by the second.
¡°A-Ah that! Can you forget about this for a single second and listen to me? N-No, listen to me Horas and I promise you it will all make sense soon.¡±
Mark tried to bargain but Horas was not buying his bullshit. Knowing Mark, he would make things up and Horas would be too soft on him to take any proper notice of it.
¡°Save your words for now. I sent a notice to Principal Marbel, exining to her what happened. She says she wants to hear you out as well so we will wait for her before we start your interrogation.¡±
Mark flinched once he heard those words. He knew he could have Horas take his side but not Principal Marbel. She was a little too tight-lipped and rule-abiding for Mark to exin everything.
But Horas did not look like he was going to bulge so Mark had topromise this time. But only this time because Principal Marbel will make sure there will not be another incident in the future.
Chapter 84 82: The Oozing Filth [Pt2]
?
In the end, Yohan did not get to know where Principal Marbel had gone to. He also did not get to know here Principal Marbel had disappeared before he was ushered into her office.
¡°Somehow, I am not surprised to see you being dragged into this experiment, Horas Spencer. It feels like you are somewhat involved in any and every incident that had taken ce in this academy in the past few years.¡±
Principal Marbel sounded more tired than she sounded impressed. Horas wanted to raise his hand and question her intentions. He also wanted to tell her that it was not the case.
But a quick-thinking session caused Horas to put his hand down.
As much as he did not want to ept what Principal Marbel had said as the reality, it was the truth and it was also in front of his eyes. He was someone who was involved in a lot of incidents.
And even Horas could not remember any incident he had not been a part of for the past few years.
¡°Do not give me that look, Horas. And now sit down. Mark, where do you think you are going? You are the reason we are here today so you better tell us what happened.¡±
Principal Marbel pointed to the chair opposite herself and Mark gulped. But he sat down quickly in the seat and refused to move.
Horas took his seat as well, his interest in knowing what happened winning the war inside his heart. He wanted to know what the unnatural ckness that he had found a while back was.
¡°S-So, before you both say anything to me, just be patient and hear me out. Do you know how we found an artificial dungeon creator in the viin¡¯s hands? Well, it is based on a magical form so I tried to serialize it.¡±
¡°I found that it has weird conjunctions and other things that could not be humanly replicated. Especially not right now with our current level of technology. So, I tried digging a little deeper and things happened-¡±
Principal Marbel decided now was the right time to interfere and cut Mark off.
¡°So, you decided to make a blunder and identally create a disaster. You know that yourb would not be ready for a week at least, right? Where will you be staying for the duration of that time? Not to mention, where would we put Horas?¡±
Horas was startled when his name was brought up. He wanted to argue that he should not be punished for something he had no control over.
But Principal Marbel seemed to be in a weird and angry mood today. She did not look ready to hear anything from anyone¡¯s mouth. Much less from a troublemaker like Horas or someone who caused an ident like Mark.
¡°B-But this was an ident. Can we not just mark it as an ident and let it go? I promise nothing like this would happen again and I-¡±
¡°Of course, nothing like this would happen again. Otherwise, I will be forced to close all your experiments. We were lucky that no children have injured this time. But we cannot risk there being a second time for us.¡±
Principal Marbel reminded the pair in front of her. Horas nodded since he did not need to perform such dangerous tasks. I think you should take a look at
And even if he was going to experiment, he would make sure it would be carried out in a ce thatcked human presence from today onwards. He was not as bad as Mark was about forgetting the surroundings¡. most of the time.
¡°B-But, my previous data, and my handling software. Surely you are not locking me outpletely? That is not fair! That is injustice!¡±
¡°And that is how things would go in the future. Now you both can go back to your *temporarily* assigned room and enjoy your day. Do note to me if you have a problem because I will only make it worse.¡±
Somehow, Horas had a bad feeling about what was going to happen. He did not want to see where his new room was.
And of course, when Horas had a bad feeling, it generally proved to be true. He could only believe that he was being punished by the principal for failing to stop Mark from his experiment.
Why else would she assign Horas his bed in the student dorms? And with the two people, Horas least likely wanted to interact with?
¡°Ah, they did tell me you wereing instructor Horas. You will stay in our dorm for the next few days, right? I hope you have a nice time here.¡±
Howard Spencer opened the room and Horas could see Duke in the background as well. It was their shared dorm room Horas had been assigned to.
He was sure that other dorm rooms were empty and even staff quarters that would be more appropriate to be assigned to him. But it was all down the drain because Principal Marbel was in a bad mood.
Horas had two choices now - to ept his new reality and to be happy in his room. Or, to spend his time in the hallway and crash in someone else¡¯s room for a few nights.
But Horas did not precisely have ¡®friends¡¯ in the academy which made the second option rather terrible for him.
¡°Looks like I am stuck here for some time kid. I hope we get along well and do not cause each other any major problems.¡±
What Horas meant to say was - ¡®I hope you do not cause me any major problem moving forward. You are a trouble ma as well so I do not have a good feeling about this.¡¯
Duke scoffed from inside the room and looked away. He was acting extra grumpy because of reasons unknown.
¡°Ignore Duke. He is a little on edge about what happened with his mother. And he might also be a little stressed because of the stalking incident. His stalker is getting bolder day by day-¡±
Keith had not been paying attention until now but these words suddenly caught his attention. He remembered nning this scene out in his novel but had he ever written it? He did not remember.
He just knew that it was an important event he had wanted to include in Duke¡¯s character arc. So, what was it about exactly?
Chapter 85 83: A Trip Outside [Pt1]
?
Living with two teenagers was the weirdest experience Horas ever had. Not because it was challenging to live with them, but because of how they both behaved with each other.
Both Howard and Duke had very different personalities when it came to how a room should look like. And that was the root of all the fighting in their room.
Contrary to popr belief, Howard was a clean freak and a mother-hen. He was always picking up after Duke and dragging the other teen out. Meanwhile, Duke was more messy but down to earth.
His attitude took a 180 as soon as he was in bed. It was also impossible to wake him up on time.
The first day in their room had been awkward for Horas, and he had to tip-toe on eggshells to avoid offending any of the other two upants.
By the end of the second day, Horas was much morefortable with them both. His duties also helped keep him out of the dorm as much as possible.
Horas were sure he could get used to this setting when reality decided to smack him in the face once more. It was in the form of a conversation Horas was sure he was not supposed to hear about.
It just so happened that Horas had finished his rounds of petrol early and he was about to open the door when he stopped.
It was because an almost shouting match was taking ce in the room in front of him.
¡°-cannot dy any longer. We will not improve if we do not pay in extra effort. I think we should participate in this night dungeon hunting.¡±
It was Duke¡¯s passionate voice that spoke. It seemed as if someone was organizing a night dungeon for students to participate in.
Usually, it would not have attracted Horas¡¯s attention since it was a regr urrence. But he was sure that it was not the case this time.
Horas was an assistant instructor, so he was often the one who was approached with such ideas and asked to run security. Especially if the operation was being run by students.
Things needed to be screened by him if something of this scale was to take ce in the Esper¡¯s academy. But Horas had not received any invitation to investigate a night dungeon.
Moreover, it was not an open thing from what he was hearing. It was something Horas would need to look more into soon.
¡°I do not know Duke. I cannot help but find it all rather fishy from the start. I mean, why did the senior tell us not to inform Horas about this? Isn¡¯t it the assistant instructor¡¯s job to ensure such things? I am not sure if this dungeon hunting is legal or not.¡±
Howard was a good child who understood that sometimes, dangers cane from unknown ces. Horas wanted to burst in and reward Howard.
But he held himself back because Horas could see that Duke was not done speaking yet.
¡°Howard, do not be a coward. We need to take some risks if we want to be powerful. And I am sure we will not be able to gain anything if we kept on staying on the sidelines like this. You can trust me this time and participate in this night dungeon.¡± I think you should take a look at
That was a lot for Duke to guarantee on his own. But Horas had a feeling Howard was convinced about what he was saying.
Whatever Duke knew about this night dungeon was enough to make him certain that it was safe as well as worth his time.
Now Horas was curious. He could just burst in now and demand answers from Duke and Howard. But Horas doubted it would get him anything solid.
Rather, it would cause Duke to be angry at Howard instead and it would only harm Horas.
It would be better for Horas to pretend he did not hear anything and then try to follow Duke and Howard from behind. If it looked safe, then Horas would back out of it.
But now, the Horas needed to save some unfortunate souls from untimely death and catch a problematic student who did not know how to follow rules.
¡°Howard, you can eithere with me or step out. But don¡¯t you dare talk about this dungeon hunting to anyone else, alright? I am going to ask Regina as well. And even if you do not want toe, ask Emma if she is interested ining or not.¡±
Now the rm bells were ringing in Horas¡¯s mind. He would not have thought much of this night dungeon if not for the whole main gang being dragged into this.
¡®Ugh, another tough mission I cannot see the end of anytime soon. Is there a way for me to not be involved with this and keep an eye on the man gang?¡¯
The answer was looking more and more to be a ¡®no¡¯ from what Horas could see. So, in the end, he decided to bite his hostility and decide to knock on the door.
The two persons on the other side were startled at his entry but they quickly pretended like nothing was wrong with them. Horas also pretended like he did not hear their conversation.
The night passed in silence but Horas was awake the next night. He pretended like he was going on his nightly petrol but he stopped and hid near the entrance of their room.
Both Howard and Duke came out of the room soon. They knew that Duke had a full night out tonight and that was their only chance to go out.
But the joke was on them since Horas has asked Tora to cover his shift around the school. He was currently busy following after Duke and Howard.
They quickly arrived in front of the female dorm and picked up Emma and Regina on the way. Horas were not even surprised to see them cooperate with Duke and Howard. The main gang was a rather tightly-knitted one.
But Horas was surprised to see the one who caused all this mess for him in the first ce.
Standing in front of the main gang was no one other than the remaining member of their group - Loris.
It seemed like she was the one behind this mess.
Chapter 86 84: A Trip Outside [Pt2]
?
¡°Hey, we are finally here. Now show us the dungeon you promised to show us before.¡±
Duke sounded annoyed with having to be here. He was someone who considered himself as busy and hard to get hold of. He even behaved like a VIP at times to ensure others knew he was busy.
And currently, he was taking a big risk bying here.
With Instructor Horas as his temporary roommate, this trip was like a ticking time bomb he could not afford to mess up. He did not want the news of his sudden outing to get back to his parents.
¡°Hmm, c-calm down, please. I w-will get to the p-point soon.¡±
Loris hupped as she spoke. This was unlike her previous and confident self who told Duke about this night training routine.
Somehow, looking at her now did not invoke a lot of confidence inside Duke. he was suddenly afraid that he had made a mistake.
¡°Hey, no pressure. You can take your time exining things. Maybe you should let your senior exin things to us instead?¡±
Howard decided to interfere before Duke could scare Loris off. His calm existence helped Loris calm down. But one look at Duke was enough to make her feare rushing back.
¡°I¡the senior¡. I mean¡he was unable¡toe¡tonight. S-So he gave me the key.¡±
Loris flinched once she was faced with four pairs of curious eyes as she held the key out. She had no idea why or how she had gotten this key, but Loris had innate knowledge of how to use it.
¡°C-Can you look away from me n-now? Your l-looks are making m-me nervous.¡±
Loris asked and everyone looked sheepish suddenly. They had not expected their stares to make Loris feel ufortable. They just wanted to help her out a bit.
*Cough*
Regina¡¯s sudden cough caused everyone to diver their attention toward her. And Regina straightened her back to have this talk as well.
¡°Listen, everyone, I know we are all in a little pinch but I do not think we should panic like this. First, let us check the dungeon out. If our senior gave away the key to a junior this easily, then this dungeon cannot be tough to navigate.¡±
Regina¡¯s words had merit. Hearing her speak made everyone feel better about this decision.
Emma seemed to be the only one who still had doubts regarding this outing. She had been against this outing since the beginning. But even she wasing around after hearing Regina speak.
¡°A-Alright, I understand. Then f-follow me and I shall take you to the dungeon.
Loris leads the group without looking back. She had a bad feeling about it all but she also had to consider that she had started it all. So, she would have to take care of her mess at some point.
No one noticed as they were shadowed by Horas from a distance. Horas made sure he always had the group within hearing distance so that he could know what was being talked about.
And so far, all the things he had heard had been recorded on his device for future reference.
The group finally stopped in front of a cave-like ce. The entrance was sealed but Loris had a key which could help them enter the dungeon. I think you should take a look at
¡°W-Well here goes nothing.¡±
Loris jabbed the key into the hole and twisted it. The door opened and that was the time Horas chose to show himself to this group. He had a bad feeling about this dungeon he could not exin.
The group was about to head in as well when Howard noticed an extra pair of footsteps following them. And he suddenly tensed as a result.
Seeing Howard stop, everyone else was on alert as well. They had not expected anyone toe after them but it seemed like they were wrong in their assumptions.
¡°Where are you kids going? I am sure there was nothing mentioned about this outing in the reports you submitted to me.¡±
Horas appeared in front of the kids and he watched as their hearts sank to the bottom of their chests.
No one expected Horas to appear out of thin air and stand in front of them. And somehow, that expression on these kids¡¯ faces was enough for Horas to hold hisughter back.
¡°W-We are not doing anything bad. I heard that night dungeon ismon. We are just trying to gain some experience.¡±
Everyone nodded when they heard Duke speak. He was right and they all agreed with him.
But the expression on Horas¡¯s face did not look as positive as they hoped it to be. Horas was not agreeing with them regarding this, right?
¡°Hmm, nightly training is indeed a possible thing to do if you want to gain fast experience but it also needs to be regted by the academy. And since I did not receive any notice, I will need to close this dungeon¡±
Horas warned and watched as the protagonist party felt helpless.
As much as they were shaping up to be future heroes, Horas had to also remind himself that these were kids who needed guidance right now. And letting them do something dangerous was not part of this deal.
¡°Hey, can¡¯t you let this go just this once? We are already here and the dungeon is also opened. Can we just not participate in this?¡±
Howard begged with a calm voice. He did not seem invested in this training but Duke was. And since Duke wanted this, Howard did not mind begging Horas for this favor.
And he was not the only one who decided to ask Horas nicely.
¡°Please let us participate in this training. We promise we will be careful and not cause you any problems in the future. So please, consider our request and let us participate in this dungeon.¡±
Regina stepped ahead and Emma was not far behind.
¡°Please let us participate this time. We promise to get permission from next time onwards.¡±
Emma was begging as well. It was too much pressure for Horas and he was sure he would get a headache if he had to hear any more of this begging.
¡°Fine, you all can participate. I will supervise this visit and make it official.¡±
Chapter 87 85: An Outside Trip [Pt3]
?
¡°Fine, you all can participate. I will supervise this visit and make it official.¡±
Horas had a feeling he made a mistake by making this an official visit. The sudden gleam of light in the group in front of him was a little terrifying, to say the least.
Now everyone looked excited to go into the dungeon and they were also going to do dumb things because they knew they had a safety.
¡®Is it toote to take my decision back?¡¯
It had not even been a few minutes and Horas was already regretting his decision to help these kids out. He was reminded, once again, why he did not want to be with the protagonist''s party.
It was fatal for his heart and overall health.
¡°Alright everyone, calm down. You have read the guidebook for such an activity, right? So, abide by that or I will cancel this training session.¡±
The threat caused everyone to calm down. Loris¡¯s suspicious eyes stared at Horas and he internally flinched when he noticed that it was not the ¡®shy¡¯ Loris who was looking back at him.
That curious look soon faded away from Loris¡¯s face as she opened the door to the dungeon. Everyone was allowed to enter the dungeon after that.
Horas made sure he took the rear and kept an eye on the group in front of him. He did not want these kids to get attacked or be taken by surprise.
The dungeon was surprisingly simple. It was a desert with sands as far as one¡¯s eyes could see. The main problem one would face here would be ack of resources.
¡°Wow, this ce sucks. There is no monster in sight and the sun will kill us before we can even do anything.¡±
Regineined as she fanned herself. She had been in the dungeon for a total of one minute and she already looked ready to give up.
The other kids were not fairing any better than her as well. Only Howard and Loris looked alright. But one was the protagonist and the other was a gically modified creature. So, they both did not count.
¡°Alright kids, now we shall learn the first rule about venturing into this dungeon. Open your safety kits in your system and take out the regtion patch.¡±
Horas ordered as he took out a small bandage.
Everyone else followed his advice. It was standard practice to have a regtion patch in one¡¯s dungeon kit since one could not know when they would be faced with extreme conditions.
¡°You need to peel it off and ce it on the back of your neck. Stick it like a peel-off tattoo and you will start to feel better in no time.¡±
Horas advised as he stuck his tattoo on the back of his neck.
The coolness from the regtion patch caused Horas to shiver in delight. It was such an amazing feeling everything he tried it.
¡°Wow, this is amazing. I will not say that I no longer feel the sun, but I do feel a lot better now. I think I can finally jump and run around.¡±
Regineplemented the patch as she stretched her body. I think you should take a look at
¡°Y-You should not move around too much Regine. I read somewhere that these patches can cause a reaction if you get too excited.¡±
Emma sounded nervous when she spoke. With everyone¡¯s eyes on her, she found herself retreating a little.
Emma had only meant to help her friend out, but it suddenly felt like she had made a mistake.
¡°Wow? These patches feel so good that I cannot imagine them being anything harmful. But what should I do? My body feels full of energy and-¡±
¡°Calm down Regine. What Emma said is not unfound but that does not happen to everyone. We use these patches while fighting all the time so I am sure you would be alright as well.¡±
Horas calmed Regine down easily. She took Horas ¡®swords quite well.
Emma looked a little awkward, but she did not try to question Horas¡¯s source of knowledge as well. Now everyone had calmed down and they were ready to proceed.
¡°Now that everyone is paying attention, I think I should inform you all of what is going to happen from here on. First, the objective of this dungeon is to defeat the great moth. It is a level D dungeon so it should not be too difficult.¡±
Loris sounded certain that it would be the case for this dungeon. It seemed like she had researched this dungeon beforeing here.
Horas had a feeling that this was a trap set by someone to bring them here. But he could not be certain of this just yet.
¡°Alright. So, we need to take care of this wild boss, and er are done? So, how do we find this wild boss?¡±
Howard asked and Loris breathed in a heavy sigh. She looked at him with annoyed eyes but did not say anything at first.
She was about to say speak up when the ground shook around them. The desert was experiencing an earthquake but it was not a normal one.
There was also an overwhelming presence surrounding their group. And it wasing from the ground beneath their feet. Somehow, Horas was sure that there was a monstering their way.
¡°Be careful. The boss monster of this forest ising for us. We will need to be careful from here on. Make sure you do not get caught in its tail.¡±
Loris warned everyone but it was toote. Emma had already been caught and the monster was swinging her body up into the air like a rag doll.
¡°Shit Emma. just wait. I aming to save you right now.¡±
Howard sounded worried as he made his way across the sand. He wanted to reach Emma and save her, but the monster was blocking Howard¡¯s every move.
It sucked for the protagonist team as well. Emma was their only long-ranged fighter. And she was the one being taken away by their enemy. Things could not go worse for them at this point.
¡°Horas, help us out. You are an instructor. Shouldn¡¯t you help us out in this situation?¡±
Howard asked but Horas was not worried. The worm was only a level D monster. It would not be able to harm Emma much.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!